Pancakes & Waffles: Delicious Ideas for Breakfast, Brunch and Beyond by Hannah Miles

Pancakes are a favourite for Sunday breakfast and occasionally dinner and I’ve been wanting to get over my fear of the waffle maker (a dead-heavy lawn sale find that I’m always worried about closing on my fingers and worse), so I was excited when Thomas Allen & Son surprised me with a copy of Pancakes & Waffles: Delicious Ideas for Breakfast, Brunch and Beyond by Hannah Miles. (Book mail is the best mail!) Inside are 27 recipes for sweet and savoury pancakes and waffles and their assorted toppings and photographs that’ll make your tummy rumble. Think buttermilk blueberry pancakes with blueberry lime sauce; potato waffles with barbecue beans; orange waffles with roasted plums; and ginger and sesame waffles with steak and dipping sauce. Hungry yet? 

An introduction offers a little on the history of pancakes and waffles as well as tips to help them turn out, with the recipes that follow organized by the chapters Wholesome and healthy; Savoury and satisfying; Fresh and fruity; and Decadent and delicious. British and American measurements are both included.

I tested two relatively basic recipes to start, beginning with the lemon waffles. Hannah includes a recipe with lemon curd to go with but I had a sneaking suspicion I would be the only one eating it so I topped these with whipped topping and fruit instead.

They’re surprisingly light but very filling, and one was plenty for me. The recipe made eight waffles with our waffle maker, but yours might make more or less. Feel free to freeze any leftovers and pop them in the toaster to reheat.

The pancake recipes are all “American-style” — thick, light and fluffy and made with raising agents. I tried the oatmeal pancakes with berry compote, which include toasted oats mixed into the batter and sprinkled on top.

The oats sprinkled on top of each pancake before flipping them over got mixed reviews (my daughter said they were too crunchy) but the pancakes quickly disappeared all the same. I scooped about half a cup of batter onto the pan for each one, and batter made seven giant pancakes altogether. And the delicious berry compote came together on the stove in all of five minutes.

Other recipes include wake-me-up coffee pancakes; peanut waffles with nutty caramel ice cream; huevos rancheros waffles; and Oreo pancakes with chocolate fudge sauce. (Mmmmmm.)

If you want to try a twist on Sunday breakfast or a weeknight dinner, I’m sure you’ll find a recipe or three in Pancakes & Waffles that you’ll love.

Thomas Allen & Son sent me a copy of Pancakes & Waffles in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.