Valentine's Day Breakfast in Bed

There are a million and one things you can treat your partner and loved ones to this Valentine’s Day. But being a foodie it wouldn’t be right if I didn’t use food as my love language and make a beautiful and delicious breakfast in bed.

Breakfast in bed is a way to start the day in the most wonderful way. It will bring a smile to your partner and the great part of this recipe is that it doesn’t take long so you won’t have to be up at the crack of dawn to start preparing it.

Making food and special meals for my fiancé is a joy in my life (plus I think he rather enjoys being the guinea pig to my recipe creations). In time for Valentine’s Day this year he has had to sit through many different versions of these buttermilk pancakes until I came up with the one I found worked best. To add some extra romance I used fresh strawberries to make a soft and sweet compote to decorate them with.

Buttermilk pancakes are soft and chunky American style pancakes which look their best stacked high on a plate. I used the Denby range available at Elys to make up my Valentine’s Day breakfast in bed. I took a tray, covered it with a pick table runner and used two of the Denby pieces that fitted with the colour scheme and complimented the pancakes. Plus I added a candle, chocolates and flowers to make it look even more special.

Since watching the Great Pottery Throw Down I have gained a new appreciation for the craftsmanship and skill that goes into making quality pottery like this created by Denby. The colour, shape and glaze are beautiful and echo the natural palette of the countryside.

The Rich Blue Oval Tray I used as the plate for the pancakes reminds me of wet Welsh slate. The Denby Impression Accent Large Mug compliments the oval tray with it's soft pink honeycomb pattern. This design invokes thoughts of honey and the vibrant patterns of nature and spring.

The great part of the Denby design process is that they create individually distinct items which still work together and compliment each other as a full collection. The colours, the patterns and the shapes are harmonious while still being individual.

This recipe makes enough pancakes for two and they are definitely best served as a stack drizzled with strawberry compote.

 

Buttermilk Pancakes for two

 Ingredients

  • 125g self-raising flour
  • ½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
  • small pinch salt
  • 1 tablespoon caster sugar (or granulated sugar)
  • 1 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 100ml buttermilk
  • 50ml milk
  • unsalted butter for greasing the pan

 

Instructions

  • Sieve the self-raising flour, bicarbonate of soda and caster sugar into a large mixing bowl.
  • In a separate jug whisk together the egg, buttermilk, vanilla and milk.
  • Gently whisk the milk mixture into the flour mix until you have a smooth and lump-free batter. It will be a bit thicker than a normal pancake batter but don’t worry just make sure it’s loose enough to pour.
  • Place your frying pan on a medium heat and add a teaspoon of butter to melt in the pan.
  • Spoon the mixture into the pan leaving space between them. Make them the size of buttermilk pancakes you want. I prefer a stack of mini ones but you could make one giant one, or even try to make a heart shape.
  • Keep an eye on the buttermilk pancakes and after about 1-2 minutes flip them over and cook for another 60 seconds until golden brown on both sides.
  • Serve the pancakes and enjoy with your favourite toppings.

Strawberry Compote Ingredients

  • 300g strawberries
  • Zest and juice of half a lemon
  • 3 tablespoons granulated sugar

Instructions

  • Hull and chop the strawberries and add them to a saucepan.
  • Add the zest and juice of half a lemon along with the sugar.
  • Place the saucepan on a low heat to allow the strawberries to break down and turn into a gorgeous soft compote. It should be ready after about 5 minutes. Making it a great topping to be cooking as you make the pancakes.

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