For Shrove Tuesday aka Pancake Day
In two days time, we will all be flipping our way through the day, as we try to use up all the eggs, butter and cream in our larders, in accordance with the old practice to clear all those luxury ingredients in preparation for the start of Lent. Tuesday the 9th of February is Shrove Tuesday, more commonly known as Pancake Day and is a chance to eat liberal amounts if one of my favourite types of food, PANCAKES! The title of today’s post, Beremeal, Golden Syrup & Orkney Pancakes, gives you a clue about the recipe I am sharing today, Orkney Pancakes and the history of one of its ingredients, Beremeal. Beremeal is an ancient grain that has been grown in Orkney for thousands of years – it’s the purest form of barley and is essential when making Orkney or Scottish Bannocks, beer and ale as well as pancakes.
As I am in France at the moment, I was unable to source any beremeal for my Orkney Pancakes recipe, but, I DO have a scribbled recipe on the back of an envelope, from my grandmother, that uses medium oatmeal, so that’s the recipe I am sharing today. You start the pancake batter base the night before you need to cook them, and then just add the remaining ingredients in the morning, making it an easy recipe to make before the children go to school on Pancake Day. The warm pancakes are served with butter and golden syrup and can be frozen once they are cold, which is a great idea for future impromptu pancake enjoyment. They puff up into thin crumpet style pancakes (similar to Yorkshire or Northumberland pikelets) and as they contain oatmeal, they are healthier than normal 100% flour pancakes.
I was very pleased how this recipe turned out, and I had to make a double batch, as they went down very well for our Sunday morning breakfast today! (I popped some in the freezer for Tuesday too) I made mine, as you will see from the photos, on my grandmother’s old griddle (girdle) and I JUST love the way these old cast iron griddles retain the heat which results in perfect pancakes (and crumpets, muffins, griddle cakes and hotcakes) every time. If you CAN source beremeal, then why not try it in this recipe for a truly authentic Orkney Pancake recipe – I’m going to order some beremeal on-line for my next culinary experiment, Bannocks, which I have been wanting to make with beremeal for some years now, and, I have found an interesting recipe here: How to make a traditional Orkney Bere Bannock.
But for today, and just in time for Shrove Tuesday, I am sharing my latest heirloom and historical recipe for Orkney Pancakes, served with Tate and Lyle’s Golden Syrup and a goodly slathering of butter! In place of golden syrup, you could use honey, but I love the warm, slightly toasty flavour of golden syrup and it works so well with the oatmeal in these pancakes, similar to syrup with porridge. I’ve shared some of my other pancake recipes below, so there’s plenty for you to choose from this Pancake Day, have a flipping good day and make sure you get lots of pancakes in throughout the ENTIRE day! Karen
NB: Barony Mill have contacted me and have told me that you can order Beremeal from them and they ship INTERNATIONALLY too! Order your Beremeal here: Buy Barony Mill Beremeal
Disclaimer: I was sent some Tate and Lyle Golden Syrup for review and free of charge; all views and opinions remain my own and I was not paid to write this post.
About Beremeal:
Bere, pronounced “bear,” is an ancient grain and “six-row” barley currently cultivated mainly in Orkney, Scotland. It is also grown on Shetland, Caithness and on a very small scale by a few crofters on some of the Western Isles, i.e. North Uist, Benbecula, South Uist, Islay and Barra. It is probably Britain’s oldest cereal in continuous commercial cultivation.
Bere is a landrace grain that has been adapted to growing on soils with a low pH value, and with a short growing season, but with long hours of daylight during the summer, as found in the high latitudes of northern Scotland. It is sown in the spring and harvested in the summer. Because of its very rapid growth rate it is sown late but is often the first crop to be harvested. It is known locally as “the 90-day barley.”
Bere is thought to have been brought to Britain by Vikings in the 8th century or even from an earlier wave of settlement. In its early days it was also called “bygge” or “big,” probably originating from bygg, the Old Norse term for barley. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, bere was an important crop in the Highlands and Islands region of Scotland, providing grain for milling and malting and straw for thatching and animal bedding. It was also exported from Orkney and other ports in Scotland to Northern Europe. The advent of higher-yielding barley varieties led to a deep decline in bere growing during the 19th and 20th centuries. It survives in cultivation today thanks to Barony Mills, a 19th-century watermill, which purchases the grain to produce beremeal which is used locally in bread, biscuits, and the traditional beremeal bannock.
Image: Sydney Gauld
Orkney Pancakes
Print recipe
| Serves | 18 to 20 pancakes |
| Prep time | 12 hours, 10 minutes |
| Cook time | 30 minutes |
| Total time | 12 hours, 40 minutes |
| Allergy | Egg, Milk, Wheat |
| Dietary | Vegetarian |
| Meal type | Breakfast, Side Dish, Snack |
| Misc | Child Friendly, Freezable, Pre-preparable, Serve Cold, Serve Hot |
| Occasion | Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving, Valentines day |
| Region | British |
| By author | Karen Burns-Booth |
Ingredients
- 150g medium oatmeal
- 300ml creme fraiche or sour cream
- 4 tablespoons Golden Syrup
- 1 large free-range egg (beaten)
- 75g self raising flour
- 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
- pinch of salt
- 250mls skimmed milk or buttermilk
- butter
Note
This old recipe for Orkney Pancakes would have used Beremeal in place of the oatmeal, but as it is difficult to obtain outside of Orkney, Scotland and the North of England, I have used medium oatmeal with superb results. You need to start the batter off the night before you want to cook these pancakes.
Directions
| Step 1 | Mix the oatmeal, crème fraiche (or sour cream) and golden syrup together to make a paste, cover and leave overnight. |
| Step 2 | The next morning when you want to cook the pancakes, add the remaining ingredients, mixing well to make a smooth, thick batter and set to one side whilst the griddle is heated up. |
| Step 3 | Grease a griddle or heavy skillet with some butter, and heat it up. |
| Step 4 | Take a tablespoon of the pancake batter and drop it onto the hot griddle, smoothing it out with the back of the spoon to make a round, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until bubbles appear on top of the pancake. |
| Step 5 | Gently flip the pancakes over and cook for a further 2 to 3 minutes or until they have risen and are cooked through, as well as being golden brown. |
| Step 6 | Continue to cook all the pancakes, keeping the cooked ones warm in a low oven, until all the pancake batter is used. |
| Step 7 | Serve two to three pancakes per person with butter and golden syrup, jam or honey. |
| Step 8 | Once cool, the cooked pancakes can be frozen for up to three months; defrost before re-heating in a microwave or covered in tinfoil in a hot oven. |
I am entering these pancakes into several cooking challenges:
Tea Time Treats for February where the theme is Pancakes, Waffles and Hotcakes – hosted by me and Jane
Simply Eggcellent over at Belleau Kitchen
Charlotte’s Lively Kitchen and the Food Year Linkup
Pancake Recipes on Lavender and Lovage:
Shrove Tuesday, Pancake Day and a Quire of Paper – a Stack of Pancakes with Lemon & Sugar
Amish Recipe: Dutch Baby Oven Pancake with Blood Oranges and Blueberries
Something Different for Pancake Day! Bacon and Banana Pancake Strips with Smoked Chilli Honey
Spotty Bananas does Posh Pancakes! Buttermilk Pancakes with Banoffee Bananas & Cream
Luxury Seafood Pancakes au Gratin
Vietnam visits a French Country Kitchen! Crispy Coconut Crepes with Prawns
Cappuccino Pancakes with Bananas
Pancakes for Everyday! My Marmalade Pancakes for Pancake Day
5:2 Diet Fast Day: Pancakes for Breakfast – Blueberry & Oat Pancakes with Cinnamon Recipe
karen Crossan says
I’ve never heard of this Barley, sounds really interesting, I will need to try this. Thank you for sharing.
Karen Burns-Booth says
You can buy it on-line apparently Karen, so that’s something I am looking into now! Karen
Summer says
Yummy! These must be really satisfying ♥
summerdaisy.net
Karen Burns-Booth says
Thanks Summer – they were VERY tasty and also very filling due to the oatmeal being added! Karen
annjenny says
Mmm! Delicious. I like the idea of using oatmeal and the fact that the batter can be started the night before.
Karen Burns-Booth says
Thanks AnnJenny – the oatmeal adds a really lovely texture and flavour to these pancakes. Karen
Dom says
such a good idea to do the oatmeal overnight soaking… I am making these pancakes they look superb!
Karen Burns-Booth says
Thanks Dom – I’m hooked on these pancakes now!
Heather says
I’m definitely going to try and make these with gluten free oats. I’ve never thought of using oatmeal instead of flour, I bet it’s delicious!
Karen Burns-Booth says
They are very tasty Heather – nutty and with a great taste and texture that works so well for breakfast! Karen
Tracey says
I´ve never heard of beremeal before…love finding new traditional British recipes! These look delicious! I almost always make traditional style pancakes on Pancake Day!!! Will have to try these some day though!!!
Karen Burns-Booth says
It’s an ancient barley type grain and was used for centuries in baking, especially in the North of England, Scotland and the Isles Tracey, and I can’t wait to get my hands on some! I LOVED this recipe made with oatmeal though, Karen
Shona Logan says
Hello, you can buy direct from the mill in Orkney. I live a few miles from it. Shona
Alison says
Love your griddle pan, bet it makes fab pancakes. I had not heard of beremeal before
Karen Burns-Booth says
It makes WONDERFUL pancakes Alison and especially Singin’ Hinnies! 🙂 Karen
SAllyBR says
Very interesting, I am quite curious to find out what this grain tastes like… never heard of it!
beautiful post, as usual….
Karen Burns-Booth says
Thanks so much Sally – it has a very nutty flavour, and a great nutty texture too! Karen
Charlotte Oates says
Just like everyone else, I’ve not heard of Beremeal either. Is it easy to get hold of in the UK, I don’t remember seeing it on the shelves in my local shops.
We always used to put golden syrup on our pancakes when I was a child and I’m going to be getting it out for the boys to have with theirs tomorrow along with some lemon juice and a sprinkling of sugar.
I hope you’re having a lovely time in France x
Karen Burns-Booth says
Thanks Charlotte!
Yes, get that golden syrup flowing on the pancakes today! I love it in pancakes, as well as in puddings…..
You can source Beremeal via an on-line store at Real Foods, and that’s where I am going to get some when I am home in Yorkshire!
Karen
anna@annamayeveryday says
Gosh never heard of Beremeal! Love the pancakes though, my children had big flat crepes for breakfast with sugar and lemon and I will make Scotch pancakes for tea!
Karen Burns-Booth says
It’s not that common outside Orkney Anna, but, I know you can but it on-line, so that’s what I am going to do! Karen
Angela / Only Crumbs Remain says
These look fabulous Karen, and like many of your other commenters I too have never heard of beremeal. I wonder if it’ll become the new ‘it’ food (with good reason) like spelt has. How lovely to have your grandmother’s recipe for these pancakes and of course to make them on her old griddle – lovely. #FoodYearLinkUp
Angela x
Karen Burns-Booth says
Thanks so much for stopping by Angela, and yes, I think that this maybe a “new” interest in “old and ancient grains”, and quite rightly so, as you say. The griddle is often used and well loved, as you can imagine, I am now going to pop over the #FoodYearLinkUP to see what you have been cooking up lately! Karen
Stephanie says
Thank you for the information on the Beremeal. I’ve ordered some to come here to the US and I’m pretty excited to receive it. I’ll be sure and make some pancakes out of it when it arrives. I’ll have to find some of this exotic Golden Syrup you speak of too.
Karen Burns-Booth says
THANKS so much for letting me know Stephanie and let’s bake together, as I have some beremeal being sent to me too! You can use corn syrup in place of golden syrup, but to be honest maple syrup will be better! Karen
Jean says
I actually found a griddle the other day, literally. Someone had left it with other rubbish at the bottle dump, so I brought it home and cleaned it up. It’s a hefty cast iron one and I’m looking forward to trying something out with it. This recipe looks perfect as I have some medium oatmeal in stock.
Dems Banjo says
Yummy! I love pancakes and i am going to try the recipe out with Oatmeal, soaked overnight . Looks good. Thanks for the recipe.
Karen Burns-Booth says
My pleasure! Karen