1/4 lb Plain white household flour

1 ts Bicarbonate of soda

1 1/2 ts Cream of tartare

1 oz Caster sugar

1 Egg

1/4 pt Milk or cream

Sift the flour with the raising agents and stir in the sugar. Make a well in the centre and break the egg into it. Whisk the milk into the egg, then gradually incorporate the dry ingredients to make a very smooth, thick batter. Alternately, simply mix everything together in a food processor. If time permits let the batter stand for 30 minutes before cooking. Heat a griddle, bakestone or cast-iron frying pan until very hot - or cook direct on the hot plate of an Aga. Grease your chosen surface lightly with buttered paper, using just enough fat to prevent the pancakes from sticking. Using a large metal spoon held point downward, drop a few small rounds of batter on to the hot surface. Space them well apart. Cook over steady heat until bubbles rise to the surface and the underside of the pancakes are browned - about 2 minutes. Loosen them gently with a palette knife, then flip them over and cook for about 1 minute longer. Makes about 16 pancakes. Source: Philippa Davenport in "Country Living" (British),

March 1989.