Nearly 60% of UK adults don’t know the difference between an American-style pancake and a crepe, new research by Tesco has found.
With Pancake Day fast approaching, the supermarket polled 2,000 consumers to find out about their pancake-eating habits and their understanding of the different varieties.
It found that the average person is tucking into pancakes 30 times a year, but only 58% understood the key features of American pancakes and crepes. That said, Gen Z consumers were more likely to know the difference, with two thirds (64%) able to call out one from the other compared to 39% of 45-64-year-olds.
To help keep consumers in the know, Tesco executive chef Jamie Robinson has shared his pancake glossary, outlining the difference between crepes and pancakes, plus a few of their lesser-known cousins such as the Dutch baby, Boxty and more.
American Pancake
American Pancakes are thick and fluffy pancakes made from a batter of eggs, flour, milk, and baking powder. Additionally, fruit such as strawberries and blueberries can also be added to the batter, or even chocolate chips. When served, they are usually stacked on top of each other, then finished with a range of ingredients, such as jam, honey, syrup, or whipped cream.
Crepe
Crepes are very thin pancakes made from a light batter containing flour, eggs, melted butter, salt, milk, and water. They are typically rolled or folded with a variety of sweet or savoury fillings, such as lemon and sugar, or ham and cheese.
Boxty
A Boxty is a traditional Irish potato pancake, consisting of finely grated raw potato, buttermilk, baking soda, salt and flour. The mixture is then fried on a griddle pan for a few minutes on each side. Similar to a rosti, Boxty pancakes are often enjoyed with savoury accompaniments.
Dutch Baby
A Dutch Baby is like a large English Yorkshire pudding, made from a batter consisting of flour, eggs, milk, sugar, butter and vanilla extract. Unlike most pancakes, Dutch Babies are baked in the oven, rather than being fried. They are generally thicker and are commonly enjoyed with both sweet or savoury accompaniments and can be served at many mealtime occasions.
Galette
Galette pancakes derive from Brittany in France and are made from a batter consisting of eggs, milk and buckwheat flour, which typically lends itself best to savoury flavour pairings. Galette pancakes are enjoyed for lunch, brunch or dinner using fillings such as eggs, ham, cheese, tomatoes, spinach, and bacon.
Soufflé Pancake
Soufflé pancakes derive from Japan and although thick in appearance, are incredibly light and fluffy in texture. The trick to mastering this pancake’s delightfully pillowy texture is separating the egg whites from the yolks, like you would do to make a meringue. Fold the beaten egg whites and sugar into the batter mix, which consists of beaten egg yolks, sugar, vanilla extract and flour, to make these delicious Japanese pancakes.
Scotch Pancake
A Scotch pancake, also known as a drop scone, is a fluffy and slightly sweet traditional Scottish breakfast or teatime treat. This small, round, and thick pancake is made from a simple batter of flour, baking powder, sugar, milk, and eggs. Scotch pancakes are typically enjoyed with toppings, such as butter, jam, honey, or syrup, and can be served warm or cold, making them perfect for both breakfast and snacking occasions.
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