The mini cooker is ideal for frying 3" versions of English, American or Scotch pancakes. We have used a 500g fruit tin, but any similar sized tin-can will do. The cooking heat is provided by two tea light candles.

Step 1: Materials and Tools

Required bits;

The cooker body is made from a 500g fruit tin. This can is 3 1/4" in diameter.
Tin-snips, pliers and a skewer are required for construction of the cooker.
The cooker is powered by two tea-lights/tea candles.
Cooking a pancake requires nothing more than a spoon and slice.

Step 2: Construction of the Mini Cooker

Firstly take your empty fruit tin and wash it thoroughly with hot water to remove any labels and glue.

Then create a ring of air-holes around the top of the cooker. These are vital, they allow air to flow upwards through the cooker. To make the holes simply pierce the tin with the skewer, taking care not to stab yourself, leave a 1/2" gap between each hole.

Cut a square access hole in the front of the cooker. This allows air in for combustion, and also where you light the candles from. Use the tin-snips to cut a square from the open end of the tin. If you wish to make the access hole safer, you can use pliers to turn the edges over as shown in the picture.

For best results, the candles should be no more than 4" from the cooking surface, so some cutting down of the can may be nessasary. Make sure that the cooker is stable before attempting to use it.

Step 3: The Batter - English Pancake Recipe

Ingredients:

1 medium egg
2 ounces of plain flour
150 ml (5/8 cup) milk
1/2 tea spoon salt

For best results:

Sieve the flour into a bowl and create a dip in the middle.
Crack the egg into the dip and add the salt.
Whisk the flour and egg while also adding milk until. Mix until smooth and lump free.

Step 4: The Heat Source

The cooker can be run using either two or three candles depending on how hot you want your cooking surface.

Please note that the whole cooker will become much hotter with three candles, and you risk burning the butter and or fingers.

Using two candles provides sufficient heat to fry pancakes, and leaves the cooker cool enough to hold at the base.

Step 5: Cooking a Cancake Mini Pancake

First, apply a small ammount of your favourite butter to the hot cooking surface.

Then take one tablespoon of the batter mixture and pour it onto the cooking surface, making sure that the batter goes up to the edge but not over the edge.

Cook until the batter has risen and no longer looks liquid. When one side is done it will be firm enough to flip over with the slice.

Normally they will take 2 to 3 minutes on each side. A cooked pancake should be lightly browned on each side.

Step 6: Serving Your Cancake Mini Pancake

An english pancake should be served with a sprinkling of sugar and a squeeze of lemon juice.

A gentlemanly way to enjoy your cancake mini pancake is with a nice cup of tea and a sit down.