It is easy to buy instant mix for pancakes these days but nothing quite beats making them from scratch.

This is my Mum’s (known as Moo Maa to my children). These pancakes are fluffy, buttery with a quick and easy-to-make homemade jam.

Ingredients

125 grams of plain flour

1 egg plus one extra egg yolk

300 ml milk

1 large handful of strawberries (Around 4-5)

1 star anise

1 tablespoon caster sugar

A dash of vanilla extra

20 ml water

Method

Firstly get a large bowl and tip the flour in.

Then make a well with the flour and crack in one egg, then crack the other egg and separate the egg yolk. The easiest way to do this is to use your hands, and over a sink. Add in the extra egg yolk, not the white!

Drawing the flour from the outside, beat in the egg, it will start to form a rather unattractive looking sticky mixture. Not all of the flour will be mixed in. Then slowly add the milk in and using a whisk make it into a smooth batter. When the milk is all added and the mixture is lump free, set aside and cover with cling film. Leave for at least an hour.

Meanwhile, wash and chop the fruit, and heat gently in a small saucepan with the star anise.

When the juices start to show at the bottom of the pan sprinkle in the tablespoon of caster sugar and give the fruit a good stir.

Finally add in the water and leave to simmer for about 10 minutes until the sauce has thickened a little.

Next comes the fun part – making the pancakes! Heat a frying pan with a little butter or spread, and over a high heat wait until the frying pan is piping hot. As a general rule the first pancake is for the bin (or the dog in our household).

Using a large serving spoon, tip the pancake mixture into the centre of the frying pan, and quickly using the back of the spoon spread the mixture as thinly as possible.

When the pancake starts to turn a light brown and looks like the mixture is starting to cook, you are ready to flip it over! (Use a spatula if you are not confident in flipping pancakes.)

Serve straight from the pan with a little of the fresh fruit jam.