Boozy pancake topping recipes from Manchester drinks brands

Pancake Day, or Shrove Tuesday, is the traditional feast day before the start of Lent on Ash Wednesday.

It’s been celebrated by Britons for centuries, and this year Shrove Tuesday falls on 16th February 2021.

Traditionally, pancakes were eaten on this day to use up rich, indulgent foods like eggs, milk and butter before the fasting season of Lent began.

Shrovetide was traditionally seen as a chance to indulge before the prohibitive period of Lent, and is tied to Carnival seasons celebrated in other parts of the world. The French call pancake day Mardi Gras, or Fat Tuesday.

And you could make your pancakes even more indulgent this year with the addition of some boozy toppings courtesy of Manchester based drinks brands Didsbury Gin and ARLU Rum.

Here are three new recipes for toppings, for adults only.

Strawberry & lemon drizzle

Ingredients:

50ml Didsbury Gin Strawberry and Sicilian Lemon

200g icing sugar

1 lemon

Method:

Zest the lemon.

Combine the zest with the icing sugar and gin.

Drizzle over pancakes, and serve with fresh strawberries.

Boozy butterscotch bananas

Ingredients:

1tbsp ARLU Original Rum

4 bananas

100g unsalted butter

100g dark muscovado sugar

Pinch of sea salt

2tbsp double cream

Method:

Cut the bananas into 1-2cm slices.

Melt together the butter and sugar.

Add the bananas and cook for 3-4 minutes.

Stir in the rum, salt and cream.

Serve with pancakes and ice cream.

Caramelised oranges with gin

Ingredients: 

50ml Didsbury Gin Blood Orange and Ginger

3 large oranges

200g caster sugar

200ml water

Knob of butter

Method:

Zest 2 of the oranges and set aside.

Peel all the oranges, and cut into rounds.

Heat the caster sugar and water on a medium heat. 

Stir occasionally until all the sugar has dissolved.

Add the orange slices and allow to boil until light brown.

Add the zest, butter and gin. Cook until sticky.

Serve with pancakes and chopped pistachios.