Tuesday 28th February is Shrove Tuesday – Pancake Day - and while pancakes can be the simplest thing to make, they're also the easiest thing to get wrong. This Perfect Pancake Recipe from Dawn Quest at Meals Our Kids Love is so simple and easy. It makes thin and light pancakes every time.

Until recently, Pancake Day in our house used to conjure up feelings of fear and dread, with several traumatic kitchen episodes involving pancake batter and frying pans.

There was the time I actually set light to the pancakes, and another drama when my daughter burned her hand on the frying pan while attempting a pancake flip. Fond memories.

Worse, while I had visions of making the kids light and fluffy pancakes, the reality was usually a stressful evening with lumpy, soggy batter that even large heapings of sugar failed to make appealing.

That all changed when I discovered the secret to great pancakes – and it all boils down to the right recipe. After many months of trial and error and consulting numerous cookbooks, I've got the absolutely perfect pancake recipe for you. You won't need another after you've tried this, I promise you.

The quantities of flour, eggs, milk and water all add up to batter that's the perfect consistency to deliver lovely, thin, lacy-edged affairs that don't leave everyone feeling like they've swallowed a bowling ball afterwards. They're light, they're delicious and they're so easy and quick to make - and they get 10 out of 10 from the kids, even before they've added the toppings. They also look good, so much so I can't quite believe I made them.

Speaking of toppings, there's only one way to serve traditional English pancakes in my book, and that's with a squeeze of lemon and a sprinkle of sugar. Pancake Day is the one day of the year I bring out the sugar bowl and don't wince when the kids help themselves to a teaspoon or two (or ten).

You can make this batter ahead of time and keep in the fridge for a day or two. Or make whole pancakes, allow to cool and store them in the fridge or freezer ready to be reheated in the oven or microwave.

For this recipe I used a 20cm omelette pan - the perfect size for a pancake. You only need to add enough batter to cover the base of the pan, about 2/3 of a standard soup ladle, and this will give you around 6 to 8 pancakes.
Makes 6 – 8 light and fluffy pancakes:

INGREDIENTS

110g plain flour
2 eggs
pinch of salt
200ml milk
75ml water
50g butter

METHOD

To make the batter:
Sift the flour into a mixing bowl.
Add the pinch of salt and stir to combine.
Make a well in the centre of the flour and break the eggs into it.
Whisk with a handheld whisk or electric mixer on a low speed until the eggs and flour have combined. The mixture will be quite thick and stiff.
Mix the water and milk together.
Gradually add the milk and water mixture, whisking thoroughly as you go.
When all the liquid is added, scrape around the bowl with a spatula to make sure you get all the flour mix. Whisk again until you have a smooth batter the texture of single cream.
Next melt the butter in a pan or microwave.
Add 2 Tbsp of melted butter to the batter and whisk to combine.

To cook:
Put a 20cm frying pan on a high heat.
Using kitchen paper, wipe the surface of the pan with melted butter to thinly coat.

Next, use a ladle to scoop around 3 to 4 Tbsp (2/3 of the ladle) of batter.
Add the batter to the centre of the hot pan and swirl to coat the bottom of the pan evenly.
Cook for around 1 minute until you can easily lift the edge of the pancake away from the pan with a spatula.
Flip the pancake onto its other side using the spatula and cook for a few seconds more until golden brown.
Slide onto a plate, sprinkle with lemon and sugar and serve.

If you're making a large batch, layer the pancakes on a plate in between sheets of greaseproof paper and keep in a warm oven until ready to serve.