Gordon Ramsay's Clever Method For Thin And Crispy English Pancakes

Gordon Ramsay may have a reputation for being notoriously tough on his cooking shows, but he admits to being a big softie when it comes to his six children. So, he does what lots of other English parents do on Shrove Tuesday, the feast before Lent: He makes crepe-like English pancakes. In fact, Shrove Tuesday, which is known as Mardi Gras or Fat Tuesday in the United States, is called Pancake Day in the United Kingdom. Why? Well, before Lent, many chefs traditionally tried to use up their stash of soon-to-be forbidden eggs and butter by making pancakes and fritters.   

It may not be the full English breakfast that Ramsay says is one of his favorite meals, but these pancakes are still uniquely English. While not quite as different as American pancakes and crepes, the U.K. version has some distinct differences from the French delicacy, with English pancakes tending to be smaller and slightly thicker than crepes. Like with his other signature dishes, Ramsay has some special tips for making sure your English pancakes are extra thin and crispy. Specifically, he relies on using a hot pan and some practiced flicks of the wrist.

For his British pancakes, Gordon Ramsay starts off with a hot pan sprayed with oil. After pouring a ladle of batter in the center, he rigorously rolls the batter around, his gravity-defying hair shaking vigorously with the movement. The rolling action, he says, is the key to getting the pancake nice and thin. After leaving the pancake on the heat to cook, he taps the pan twice. Then, lifting the pan, he shimmies the pancake forward toward the rim. He then pushes the pan forward, looking somewhat like a knight about to thrust his lance into an opponent, and flips it back with his wrist. The action may seem simple, but it requires some serious practice to nail.

English pancakes are traditionally served with a sprinkle of sugar and a squeeze of lemon juice before folding them into soft triangles. Ramsay also uses lemon juice and lemon zest but adds his own spin by incorporating some fresh raspberries, strawberries, and a drizzle of honey.