Pancakes - Pecan rum & raisin with ice-cream

Ingredients 100g plain flour, 20g crushed pecans, 2 eggs, 210ml milk, 90ml water, 1 tbsp vegetable oil, butter, sailor jerry's rum, raisins, caster sugar, vanilla ice-cream.

Makes: 6 pancakes Preparation: 40 minutes


My pecan pancakes are the perfect combination for rum and raisin so if you have any leftover rum & raisin caramel sauce this is a great way to serve it! This rich and seductive pancake is perfect with vanilla ice-cream.


1) Mix the flour with a pinch of salt in a large bowl, make a well in the centre and crack in the eggs. Grind the pecan nuts in a mortar and pestle and add to the flour.


2) Measure 90ml water in a pyrex jug, then top it up to 300ml with milk.
Beat the eggs into the flour with a wooden spoon and gradually beat in the milk and water mixture until smooth.


3) Stir in the vegetable oil and leave to rest for at least 30 minutes but preferably an hour.


4) Heat a non-stick frying pan until very hot, then add a small knob of butter. Pour in one ladle of batter, quickly turning the pan off the heat to coat the base evenly with the batter. Return to the hob and cook for about one minute, until the base is lightly browned. I like to use a spatula or palette knife to just loosen the edges of the pancake - once the air gets under it you will find it does not stick to the pan but slide about which helps it to flip!


5) Flip over the pancake (if you have a clumsy wrist, slide the pancake onto a plate, then tip the pan over the plate and turn it upside down. No one will ever know!


6) Once the pancake has cooked on both sides, serve with the ice-cream and sauce.

Rum & raisin caramel sauce

Ingredients 100g caster sugar, 2 tbsp butter, double cream, 100g raisins, Sailor Jerry's rum Served with: Starfruit and vanilla ice-cream.

Serves: 2 Preparation: 20 minutes

This is what I like to refer to as "grown up" caramel. Whilst most of the alcohol is cooked off, I have always adored the naughty combination of rum and raisin, I think every precocious child must! This rich, sticky sauce is absolutely gorgeous with fresh fruit and ice-cream.

1) In a milk pan, add the raisins and cover with Sailor Jerry's rum, then bring to the boil until the alcohol has reduced by 1/2 and the raisins are plump and fragrant.

2) Put a frying pan to heat on the hob. When a drop of water "rolls" upon being dropped on the pan it is hot enough. Pour the sugar into the pan and stir continually with a wooden spoon until it liquifies and turns amber. Add the raisins and alcohol.

3) Add 2 tablespoons of butter and stir thoroughly. At this stage take off the heat and pour in a splash of double cream. Serve with sliced starfruit and ice-cream.  (Tip - don't panic if sugar is beginning to set in your pan! Run under a continual stream of hot water in the sink and it will melt straight off)

Sailor Jerrys Egg Nog

Ingredients3 eggs, 1 pint whole milk, 50g caster sugar, vanilla, 100ml Sailor Jerry's rum (or brandy if you prefer), nutmeg for dusting.

Serves: 4 Preparation: 20 minutes

Christmas is coming and this food blogger is getting fat. (And probably gout to boot with all of these indulgent puddings and boozy treats) Egg nog is nothing if not the most indulgent Christmas booze - essentially it's an alcoholic custard that you drink warm or cold and then wonder why you're waking up on a traffic island wearing your pants on your head come Christmas morning... (no? just me?)

1) Put a pan on a low-to medium heat - for this recipe you do not want to allow the mixture to boil otherwise you'll end up with scrambled egg, it must be warmed gently.

2) Whisk the eggs and whisk in the milk and sugar, transferring to the pan and allowing to warm through, stirring gently until the mixture just coats the back of your spoon. I like to add just a splash (1/4tsp) of vanilla essence to bring out the sweetness but Sailor Jerrys already contains vanilla so adding a vanilla pod like traditional egg nog would be far far too much!

3) Stir through the Sailor Jerrys rum and then serve warm, dusted with freshly grated nutmeg or cold. This mixture will thicken up a little as it cools so don't be alarmed