Pancake Day 2022: when is Shrove Tuesday this year, why do we celebrate it and what is the best pancake recipe

The annual celebration, also known as Shrove Tuesday, marks the day before Lent and always falls in mid February or early March, depending on when Easter falls.

Before you decide to give up chocolate – or whatever else you choose to abstain from for six weeks – ahead of gorging on Easter eggs, Pancake Day gives you the opportunity to indulge.

But when is it this year, why do we celebrate it – and how do you make the perfect pancakes? This is everything you need to know.

When is Pancake Day 2022?

This year, Pancake Day, or Shrove Tuesday, falls on March 1.

It falls slightly later this year as Easter is also a little bit later than usual.

Pancake Day always falls the day before Ash Wednesday, which marks the start of Lent – an important period in Christianity – and this year lands on March 2.

The reason the dates change every year is that Ash Wednesday always falls exactly six weeks before Easter festivities begin.

Why do we celebrate Pancake Day?

Traditionally, Shrove Tuesday is the day when animal products like eggs and fats are used up so they do not go to waste.

As Christians and Catholics begin their Lenten journey the next day – traditionally abstaining from eating eggs and other animal products (other than fish) for the six weeks until Easter – the day was originally created to ensure that none of these items went to waste.

This is because the batter for pancakes uses all these items – and they were usually fried in fats to maximise how many items were used up.

Over more recent decades, many people have chosen to give up more luxury items for Lent, rather than the traditional animal products.

These can include chocolate and alcohol, and some people choose simply to give up red meat rather than all animal produce.

What is Lent?

According to the Bible, Jesus went 40 days and 40 nights without food when he trekked through the desert before his crucifixion.

This is why many Catholics and Christians abstain from luxury items – or traditionally animal products – for the 40 days leading up to Easter.

It is considered one of the most important periods of the Christian calendar.

Pancake recipe for Shrove Tuesday

There are many different types of pancakes out there – from crepes to American-style – and lots of people like different toppings.

While some like simple toppings like lemon juice and sugar, those with a sweeter tooth might prefer chocolate spread or syrup.

In some areas, people choose to put savoury toppings on their pancakes, as the recipe for the batter is very similar to that of a Yorkshire pudding.

Whatever you choose, finding the best pancake recipe can be difficult.

This recipe, from BBC Good Food, is called the ‘Perfect Pancake Recipe’ and has received 5 stars from more than 250 reviewers.

It is described as: “An easy pancake batter recipe with tips on how to make the best pancakes every time with sweet or savoury toppings.”

The recipe says it takes five minutes to prepare, 25 minutes to cook and makes eight servings.

Ingredients

100g plain flour

2 eggs

300ml semi-skimmed milk

1 tbsp sunflower oil or vegetable, plus extra for frying

A pinch of salt

Method

STEP 1

Put 100g plain flour and a pinch of salt into a large mixing bowl.

STEP 2

Make a well in the centre and crack 2 eggs into the middle.

STEP 3

Pour in about 50ml from the 300ml of semi-skimmed milk and 1 tbsp sunflower oil then start whisking from the centre, gradually drawing the flour into the eggs, milk and oil. Once all the flour is incorporated, beat until you have a smooth, thick paste. Add a little more milk if it is too stiff to beat.

STEP 4

Add a good splash of milk and whisk to loosen the thick batter. While still whisking, pour in a steady stream of the remaining milk. Continue pouring and whisking until you have a batter that is the consistency of slightly thick single cream.

STEP 5

Heat the pan over a moderate heat, then wipe it with oiled kitchen paper.

STEP 6

Ladle some batter into the pan, tilting the pan to move the mixture around for a thin and even layer. Quickly pour any excess batter into the mixing bowl, return the pan to the heat.

STEP 7

Leave to cook, undisturbed, for about 30 secs. If the pan is the right temperature, the pancake should turn golden underneath after about 30 secs and will be ready to turn.

STEP 8

Hold the pan handle, ease a palette knife under the pancake, then quickly lift and flip it over. Make sure the pancake is lying flat against the base of the pan with no folds, then cook for another 30 secs before turning out onto a warm plate.

STEP 9

Continue with the rest of the batter, serving them as you cook or stack onto a plate. You can freeze the pancakes for 1 month, wrapped in cling film or make them up to a day ahead.