Pancake topping ideas

Lemon & sugar

• Step 1

  The obvious combo, but classic for good reason. You could try playing around with the sugar – soft brown sugar and muscovado have a darker, more toffee-like taste. If you’re feeling fancy, you can rub the cut face of a lemon with a little sugar and then press it down onto a hot frying pan to give you a lightly burnt, caramelised surface. The resulting juice has a faintly more complex flavour, but its charm no doubt lies more in its photogenic qualities.

Honeyed apples & cinnamon

• Step 1

  Core 2 apples and cut each one into 12 equal wedges. Warm 1 tablespoon of butter or oil in a large frying pan and add the apples. Cook over a medium heat for 10 minutes, turning often, until starting to soften. Add 2 tablespoons of honey (or maple syrup if you prefer) and a pinch of cinnamon. Cook for a final 5 minutes, until they are sticky and caramelised.

Roasted pears & chocolate

• Step 1

  Peel and quarter 3 under-ripe pears and place them in a roasting tray with 2 tablespoons of melted butter or plain oil. Add 2 tablespoons of light brown sugar and a squeeze of lemon. Toss them together, and then bake at 180⁰C/Gas 4 for about 20 minutes, or until tender and starting to turn golden. Melt 100g of your chosen chocolate in a bowl over a pan of boiling water and use this as your sauce.

Seared pineapple & coconut

• Step 1

  Peel and core a small pineapple and cut it into 2cm pieces. Throw them in a bowl with 2 tablespoons of sugar. Put a large frying pan on a high heat and let the pan get very, very hot; do not add any oil to the pan. Tip in the pineapple and cook fiercely for 1 minute or so, until the fruit is nicely browned – you aren’t aiming to cook the fruit, but to use the high heat to caramelise the sugars on the surface. This method can be a bit aggressive and smoky, so it helps to have a good extractor fan. Serve with some coconut yogurt or toasted coconut flakes.

Blueberries & lime

• Step 1

  Tip a punnet of blueberries into a small saucepan and add a dash of water. Place over a gentle heat and cook for 5 minutes, or until the fruit has collapsed and softened. Add a little squeeze of lime to add sharpness. You can add a little sugar to increase the sweetness too if you fancy.

Fried bananas & peanut butter

• Step 1

  Take 3 bananas, cut them in half lengthways, and carefully peel them. Throw a knob of butter or dash of oil into a large frying pan over a medium heat. Fry the bananas for 3-4 minutes on each side, until golden. Take care when flipping them – they soften as they cook. You can make a simple spoonable sauce by thinning peanut butter down with a little boiling water.

Warm blood orange

• Step 1

  Cut away the skin and pith from 4 oranges, and use a sharp knife to cut the segments away from the membrane. Squeeze any remaining juice from the membrane into a small saucepan, and add a few tablespoons of maple syrup or sugar (you can add a shot of orange liqueur at this point too if you like). Boil the liquid down until thick and syrupy, then stir the segments into the syrup to warm through.

Blueberries, yoghurt and honey

• Step 1

  A perfect no-cook combination for simple breakfast pancakes. Simply add a spoonful or two of yoghurt, and top with a handful of blueberries and a drizzle of honey.