Pancake Tips

• 200g blueberries
• 200g self-raising flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• Salt
• 1 egg
• 300ml milk
• Knob of butter
• Sunflower oil or a little butter for cooking

Method

1. Mix the flour and baking powder with a pinch of salt in a large bowl.
2. Whisk the egg and milk together, make a well in the centre of the flour, pour in the egg mix and whisk to a thick, smooth batter. Melt the butter then beat into the batter. Add 150g blueberries.
3. Heat a tsp of oil or small knob of butter in a large non-stick frying pan. Making three or four together, drop large spoonfuls of batter into the pan to form pancakes about 8cm across.
4. Cook over a medium heat until bubbles appear on the surface of each pancake, turn over and cook until golden. Cover with kitchen roll to keep warm whilst you work.
5. Sprinkle with blueberries and serve with the syrup.

Caramelised Biscuit & Raspberry Crepe Cake

• 6 large eggs
• Pinch salt
• 330g plain flour
• 600ml milk
• 225ml water
• 6 tbsp melted butter

Buttercream

• 230g butter
• 170g Lotus Caramelised Biscuit Spread
• 450g icing sugar
• 3 tbsp milk

Sauce

• 375g raspberries
• 50g sugar
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp cornflour
• Icing sugar, to dust

1. Crack the eggs into a blender, add the salt and begin to blend. Add a little flour and then a little milk and water. Continue alternating in this way until everything has been added then add the butter. Once thoroughly blended, allow the batter to rest for 30 minutes.
2. Lightly grease a small non-stick frying pan and place over a medium-high heat. Spoon in the batter mix and swirl until the base of the pan is covered. Cook for 1 to 1½ minutes or until set then carefully turn and cook the other side for about 30 seconds. Stack crêpes with greaseproof paper between them and allow to cool completely before covering and refrigerating for an hour.
3. Cream the butter and Lotus Spread together with an electric mixer. Add half the icing sugar and slowly mix in, increasing the speed as the icing sugar is incorporated. Add the rest of the icing sugar slowly and mix to a dough-like consistency. Add 2 tbsp milk and mix on high, adding a little more milk if necessary. Mix on high until light and fluffy. Reserve some of the buttercream for decorating the cake (use a piping bag for good effect)
4. Put a few raspberries to one side for decoration then place the remaining raspberries, sugar and lemon juice in a pan over a medium heat and bring to the boil, stirring occasionally. Simmer on low for 8 to 10 minutes. Strain through a fine sieve, pressing out as much juice as possible with the back of a spoon. Return the strained juice to the pan and place over a low heat. Put the cornflour and a little of the juice in a cup and blend well. Slowly whisk the cornflour paste into the raspberry juice and cook over a low heat until the sauce thickens. Allow to cool completely.
5. Place a small dab of buttercream on a cake plate to hold the first crêpe steady then spread with a thin layer of buttercream. Add another crêpe and another thin layer of buttercream then repeat. Drizzle a little sauce over the third crêpe. Repeat the process until all the crêpes have been used.
6. Pipe the reserved buttercream onto the top of the cake, scatter over the reserved raspberries and dust with icing sugar. Let it set in the fridge for two hours before serving.