Pikelets

Pikelets are as Australian as meat pies and Lamingtons. Quick to make – less than 20 minutes from start to finish – these mini pancakes are a delightful breakfast, or as a snack at any time of the day. These are really EASY Pikelets, I promise! Serve them with copious amounts of strawberry jam and cream for the true Aussie experience!

PIKELETS – an Aussie favourite!

It wasn’t until I was in my 20’s that I learned that pikelets are actually a very Aussie thing. I grew up thinking that kids all over the world were snacking on pikelets and begging their mums to make them for breakfast.

But actually, while they are well known in Australia and New Zealand (and apparently in Scotland???), the rest of the world is sadly deprived of pikelets.

Do you know what pikelets are? They are just mini pancakes! I don’t play favorites, I LOVE my pancakes, but the great thing about pikelets is that they can be eaten with your hands. It would be weird to daintily eat pikelets with a knife and fork. Just plain wrong!

The other little thing I want to share with you other than a little intro to essential Aussie grub is this very important cooking tip 😉 :

HOW TO MAKE THE FIRST PANCAKE PERFECT

Anyone who has made pancakes before would know that the first pancake comes out quite splotchy and sometimes a tad soggy, rather than perfectly light and fluffy and a beautiful golden brown. In fact, I even saw an episode of Brunch with Bobby Flay where he spoke of this exact problem.

It’s so childish of me, but I felt immense satisfaction with the knowledge that I knew something about cooking that Bobby Flay doesn’t know – that you can make the first pancake perfect, every single time.

All you need to do is melt butter in a non stick skillet, then wipe it off with a paper towel before putting the batter in the skillet. It’s a little trick I picked up from the clever folk over at America’s Test Kitchen. The pikelets in the skillet in the photo above are the first batch. They came out perfectly, just like this:

Pikelets are so popular in Australia, they are actually sold at supermarkets. It baffles me why anyone would ever buy them! I tried them once out of curiosity and they actually taste artificial. They have a weird fake vanilla-egg flavour.

But putting that, they cost a few dollars for a pack of 6 or so, whereas it would cost maybe $1 to make a dozen at home, with the added bonus that they taste so much better. And they are so fast to make, plus easier to handle in the skillet than pancakes.

An essential part of experiencing pikelets the true Aussie way is to serve them with copious amounts of jam and cream. Or lashings of butter. I’m partial to the jam and cream myself. 🙂

So whether for breakfast, for a snack, or a treat for company, I hope you give these easy Pikelets a go! And I hope you have a great weekend! – Nagi x

More Aussie favourites

• Scones – and Lemonade Scones 3 ingredient shortcut scones!
• Caramel Slice
• Lamingtons
• Pavlova
• Sausage Rolls
• Party Pies

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Pikelets

Author: Nagi | RecipeTin Eats

Prep: 5 mins

Cook: 12 mins

Total: 17 mins

4.75 from 20 votes

Servings12

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Growing up in Australia, pikelets were a treat we enjoyed for breakfast or any time of the day! Plus, learn the secret tip for the first batch to come out perfectly golden, rather than splotchy like they usually are! This recipe makes 12 pikelets. Don't bother counting the number of pikelets in the photos, I ate one. You should just be surprised that I managed to stop at ONE!

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups / 185g plain flour (Note 1)
• 2 1/2 tsp baking powder (Note 1)
• 2 tbsp white sugar
• 1 egg
• 3/4 cup / 185ml milk
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extra (optional)
• 2 tsp butter

To Serve

• Strawberry jam and cream (heavy cream, whipped) or butter

Instructions

• Whisk flour, baking powder and sugar in a bowl. Make a well in the centre, add egg, milk and vanilla. Whisk until the batter is almost lump free - a few small ones is ok. The batter should be the consistency in between maple syrup and tomato sauce - see photo above in post.
• Melt butter in a NON STICK skillet over medium high heat. Then WIPE all the butter off with a paper towel so there are no visible drops of oil. This is how the first batch comes out beautifully golden instead of splotchy.
• Place 2 tbsp of batter (or 1/2 filled ice cream scooper which is what I use) into the skillet. Cook until bubbles appear on the surface (see photo) then flip and cook the other side until golden (usually around 1 - 1 1/2 minutes). Repeat with remaining batter.
• Serve warm with jam and cream, or butter!

Recipe Notes:

1. You can just use self raising flour if you prefer.

2. If you do not have a non stick skillet, this can be made in any skillet / fry pan but do not wipe the butter off and accept that your first batch will be a bit splotchy on one (possibly both) side.

3. Nutrition below is per pikelet, and it is for the pikelet only, because I cannot control the amount of jam and cream you pile onto each pikelet!

Nutrition Information:

Serving: 35gCalories: 69kcalCarbohydrates: 13.2g (4%)Protein: 2.3g (5%)Fat: 0.8g (1%)Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.8gCholesterol: 15mg (5%)Sodium: 14mg (1%)Sugar: 2.8g

Course:Breakfast

Cuisine:Australia

Did you make this recipe?I love hearing how you went with my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @RecipeTinEats.

LIFE OF DOZER

I spy with my little eye….evidence that Dozer’s been snacking on pikelets…… 😉 Actually, I was training him to not touch food until I give the command. He absolutely hates practicing that which is why his face is turned away, refusing to look at the pikelet or the camera. Usually he just gets up and walks away from the food, that’s how much he detests it!

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