The pancakes we'll be eating on pancake day...

Fluffy egg and dairy free pancakes and my mum's home made raspberry jam

I have to say pancake day in our house the last few years has been a bit of a non event.  Why?  Because my youngest is allergic to eggs and dairy.  You can't have pancakes without those can you?  Er...well...yes!  I've fiddled with recipes over many a month and I've definitely got it cracked!

I make these in my Pampered Chef Square Griddle Pan which I got free when I first hosted a show before becoming a consultant.  Hosts really do get amazing bonuses!

We eat scotch pancakes, or drop scones if you prefer, most weekends for breakfast and I love the ritual of mixing and flipping, and the family love the ritual of spreading with jam, honey, chocolate spread or a combination, and eating.  This is also one of my secret weapons for kids parties - they go down a treat and at a recent one I challenged the adults to try them and tell me what was different.  They couldn't!

So no eggs in the house this pancake day?  No problem! Feel free to use cow's milk instead of soya, although you may then want to add a tiny touch of vanilla essence as soya milks generally have this added already.

Ingredients

1 cup plain flour
1 cup soya milk (plus a little extra to adjust consistency)
2 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 heaped tbsp baking powder

The baking powder seems a lot but you honestly can't taste it and its what makes them magically rise!

Method

1. Measure your ingredients out using the easy read measuring cups and adjustable measuring spoon into a small batter bowl.
2. Using the stainless whisk start gently in the middle and begin to whisk all ingredients together taking more gradually from the sides.  Can't be bothered with this?  Just whisk like mad till smooth!  A few lumps don't matter. The consistency should be of thick cream. Add a little more milk if need be.

3. Pour a small amount of oil onto kitchen paper and use it to wipe the surface of the square griddle pan.  Then heat and pour the first few drops of batter to make several pancakes straight from the batter bowl.  I tend to do four at a time, bigger single ones if its for the hubby.

4.  When the pancakes are bubbling away and beginning to look set on top, flip over with a slotted turner and cook for another minute till golden brown on the bottom.  Continue till the mix is finished.  Sometimes you may need to add a little more milk and re-whisk half way through as the flour absorbs the liquid and the mix thickens.

Serve warm with as many toppings as you can think of or with butter and jam like your granny would have. Bacon and maple syrup?  Apple compote?  Mixed fruit salad?  Whipped cream?