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Main Ingredient: Cheese

Cooking Style: British

Dish Type:

Beer Pancakes with Cheese & Sweet Bacon

This is a really simple but incredibly indulgent bar snack that will warm the cockles of your customers’ hearts on Pancake Day. You can vary this just like you would a toastie, to include onion, tomato or whatever takes your fancy really!

Pancakes (makes 4 in a 10”/25cm pan):
300ml standard bitter (e.g. London Pride or Black Sheep)
2 medium eggs
125g plain flour
25g melted butter

Filling (per pancake):
Handful of extra mature Cheddar, or other salty cheese
One rasher of good quality thick-cut smoked bacon
1tbsp Lyle’s Golden Syrup, warmed
Wholegrain mustard
Salad leaves for garnish

Method for Pancakes:
1.    Pour ale and eggs into a jug - beat well
2.    Place flour into a bowl and make hollow in centre
3.    Gradually pour the egg and beer mixture into the centre of the flour, whisking just in the centre as you pour
4.    As you pour more steadily, keep whisking so you pull in all of the flour from the outside of the bowl – this means you shouldn’t get any lumps
5.    Once all the flour is incorporated, whisk melted butter into the batter, cover with cling film and place in the fridge
6.    When you’re ready to make your pancake, use a non-stick frying pan for best results – and put in enough batter to cover the bottom of the pan to about the thickness of a pound coin, these will need to be a tiny bit thicker than your average pancake
7.    Heat frying pan on a medium heat until there’s a slight haze coming from it
8.    Add a sliver of butter and let it melt, moving the pan around so it covers the base of the pan.
9.    Tip any excess butter into a small bowl for the next pancake
10.    Whisk the batter once more before using it
11.    Ladle some batter into the pan – twisting the pan as you go so that it covers the bottom of the pan.
12.    Place the pan back onto the heat and leave to cook for 1-2 minutes
13.    To check if pancake is ready to be turned, loosen the edges with a spatula then give it a little shake – it should come loose and move in the pan
14.    The pancake should be opaque on top and a light golden brown colour underneath
15.    If you’re feeling brave, grab the handle with both hands and move away from the hob slightly. Drop the pan down and quickly flip it back up again, using your wrists to flip the pan – the pancake should rise out of the pan and turn over
16.    Place back on heat, cook for another minute and slide onto warm plate
17.    If you’re not feeling brave, use a fish slice to flip the pancake over, making sure the slice goes all the way under the pancake before you turn it
18.    Keep in a warm place

Method for Filling:
1.    Brush one side of your bacon rashers with warmed Lyle’s Golden Syrup, cook under grill, brushing other side upon turning (you can use sweet-cure bacon if you have it)
2.    When bacon is cooked on both sides and nicely caramelised cut into chunks and place on a pancake that’s been smeared with mustard, cover with the cheese, place back under grill until cheese melted but not runny
3.    Roll pancake and cut in half
4.    Garnish with salad and serve

Recipe coutesy of Melissa Cole beer & food expert and the recipe developers at Lyle’s Golden Syrup.