Pikelets
New Zealand's little thick pancakes, smaller than your palm, served with butter, jam and whipped cream for morning or afternoon tea.
Method
Whisk the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt together in a bowl for about 30 seconds so the baking powder is evenly spread, then make a well in the centre.
Add in this stepPlain flour 90 gBaking powder 1½ tspSugar 25 gSalt 1 pinch
Melt half the butter in the microwave for about 20 seconds and let it cool slightly. In another bowl, beat the egg with the milk (for a single serving, beat 1 egg and use half), then stir in the melted butter. Pour into the well and whisk from the centre outwards until smooth; the batter should flow thickly off the whisk. Leave it for : bubbles start to form and the pikelets come out fluffier.
Add in this stepEgg 1Milk 120 mlButter (for the batter, pan and serving) 13 g
Heat a 26 cm frying pan over medium heat for . It's ready when a drop of water skitters and sizzles. Rub a little butter over the pan with a piece of paper towel; too much butter gives blotchy pikelets.
Add in this stepButter (for the batter, pan and serving) 5 g
medium heatTurn the heat down to medium-low heat. Drop the batter in tablespoonfuls from the tip of the spoon to make rounds 6–7 cm across, about 3 cm apart. After , when bubbles rise and pop on the surface and the edges look dry, flip and cook for more until golden on both sides. Cook in 2 batch(es), wiping the pan with a little butter between each.
medium-low heatMove the cooked pikelets to a wire rack and cover with a clean tea towel to keep them soft. Whip the cream to soft peaks. Serve warm or cooled, spread with butter and topped with jam and cream.
Add in this stepButter (for the batter, pan and serving) 7.5 gApricot or raspberry jam 2 tbspCream for whipping 80 ml
Cook's tip
Over-mixing makes them tough, so stop as soon as the lumps are gone. Treat the first batch as a test: if they brown too fast, lower the heat; if bubbles take ages, raise it slightly. Leftovers keep in an airtight container and reheat well in the toaster.
Cooking it at camp
Mix the dry ingredients at home in a zip bag; at camp just add the egg, milk and melted butter and squish to combine. Use a heavy pan or griddle over a low burner flame with a windbreak so the heat stays even. Butter and jam are plenty if you have no cream.