This recipe from my school days appears regularly in my home as they can be made in next to no time.

Ingredients

• 50 grams butter
• 1 cup self raising flour
• ¼ cup sugar
• 1 egg
• ¾ milk

Method

1. Melt the butter in a frying pan and cook over a moderate heat until it becomes nut brown. Remove from the heat to cool. Place the pan on a damp cloth to stop the cooking.
2. Sift the flour and sugar with a pinch of salt into a bowl and stir to make a well in the centre.
3. Beat the egg and milk together and pour into the well. Use a wooden spoon to gradually blend the liquid ingredients into the dry. By incorporating the flour slowly into the egg mixture, you avoid having a lumpy mix. Should lumps arise, beat well and they will break up.
4. Beat in the cooled browned butter.
5. Heat a lightly greased frying pan over a moderate heat. Once heated, cook dessertspoonfuls of mixture in the pan for about 1-1½ minutes. Once bubbles appear on the surface and burst, flip the pikelets over and cook for about the same time on the opposite side until they are lightly browned.
6. Place on a cake rack to cool and cover with a clean tea towel while cooking the remaining mixture.
7. Serve warm with or without butter or try serving with whipped cream and raspberry jam. Any leftovers can be reheated, under a light cover so they steam in the microwave for a minute or so to refreshen berfore serving.

Cooks Tips

Variations: - Add 1-2 tablespoons cocoa to the flour and an extra tablespoon of milk to make a batter of the same consistency. - Add ½ cup dried fruit and a little flavouring: cranberries or blueberries and orange rind. Currants or lemon rind. Sultanas or raisins and mixed spice. - Add about ½ cup finely diced fresh fruit like apple, pear, banana, feijoa, blueberries or raspberries, ripe peaches or nectarines. - Add ½ cup chocolate chips - try a mix of dark and white chocolate chips and add a few drops of vanilla essence.