The Moomins' recipe for Pancake Day

The Moomins Cook Book by Tove Jansson and Sami Malila (SelfMadeHero, £12.99) is a beautifully illustrated introduction to Finnish cuisine.

Pancakes

Makes 14 pancakes

Ingredients

80g (3oz) wheat flour
20g (3/4oz) barley flour 
500ml (18fl oz) milk
1/2 tsp salt 
2 eggs
A knob of butter
Strawberry jam or whipped cream for serving

Method

Whisk the flours into the milk and add the salt. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Whisk the mixture until it is smooth and let it rest for half an hour. Heat a frying pan and add the butter. Pour the batter into the centre of the pan so that it spreads out to form a thin, lace-like layer. Once the underside of the pancake has cooked, fry the other side until it is a lovely golden colour then place on a preheated plate and cover with a lid. Continue until you use up all the batter. Serve with strawberry jam or whipped cream. 

To set a suitably cosy mood, the recipe is accompanied by this lovely quote from Jansson’s Comet In Moominland (Puffin, £5.99): “The dusk came billowing over the river, and they began to steer the raft back towards land. At the shore they found a nice place among the tree roots; they built a fire and baked pancakes, which they ate as soon as they were ready (the only correct way to eat pancakes). Then they both crawled into their own beds as night fell upon them.”