Tags: cookery school, cooking classes, Italian cooking, learn to cook, pasta making

We make pancakes a lot here and when we used to run Dunowen House as a fully catered guesthouse, they were alway really popular on the breakfast menu.

I’m giving you two recipes to try out, the first a lovely fluffy buttermilk pancake and the second my fail-safe recipe for thin traditional crepe style pancakes. I like to serve the fluffy pancakes with berries, Greek yoghurt and maple syrup or topped with cinnamon poached apples and a drizzle of honey.

The crepe-style pancakes are delicious with just lemon juice and sugar or pimp them up with a spread of Nutella, sliced bananas and a scattering of toasted almond flakes. Delicious!

Small pancakes with whipped cream, raspberries, blueberries and strawberries on a plate.
Small pancakes with whipped cream, raspberries, blueberries and strawberries on a plate.
Dunowen House Fluffy Buttermilk Pancakes

To make these extra fluffy, you can separate the eggs and whisk the whites until stiff, then fold into the pancake mix as a last step.

Ingredients:

  • 245g plain flour
  • 3 tsp baking powder
  • 2 large free range eggs
  • 265ml buttermilk
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 tbsp caster sugar
  • 50g melted butter

Method:
  1. Sift the flour and baking powder into a large bowl.
  2. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, vanilla, sugar and melted butter until combined.
  3. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.
  4. Grease the frying pan well with sunflower oil or melted butter and place over a medium heat. Add large tablespoonfuls of batter to the pan, normally 3 to 4 pancakes at a time.
  5. When little bubbles begin to appear on the top, gently flip the pancake over to cook on the other side. They should be lightly golden in colour.
  6. Serve warm with fresh fruit, Greek yoghurt and honey or maple syrup. They are also delicious served with apples stewed with cinnamon.
Dunowen House Sweet Crepes

Great pancakes for flipping, if you’re brave enough!

Ingredients:

  • 80g plain flour
  • 2 large free range eggs
  • 80ml milk
  • 20ml water
  • 30g melted butter
  • 1 tblsp caster sugar
Method:
  1. First sift the flour into a large bowl.
  2. In a large jug or separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, water, sugar & melted butter. Pour this into the flour and keep whisking until nice and smooth (no lumps!)
  3. Heat a non-stick frying pan with butter, wiping away the excess with kitchen paper. Use this to re-grease between pancakes.
  4. Ladle batter into centre of the pan, swirl it around so it spreads out around sides and covers base of the pan. Turn over after a few minutes when it’s the colour / level of crispness you like.
  5. While the underside is cooking, you could spread a spoonful of Nutella over the top of the pancake, add some banana slices and toasted almonds. When ready, fold in half over itself, then half again into a layered quarter. If you’re feeling really lush, serve this with some whipped cream.

"A Magical West Cork Escape"

We stayed at Dunowen House for a long weekend and genuinely didn’t want to leave. From the moment we arrived, we were blown away by the beauty of the house and its surroundings – the views, the gardens, the quiet… it’s pure magic. The house itself is full of character and history but still feels incredibly cosy and luxurious.

We loved having our morning coffee overlooking the sea and strolling down to the nearby coves. It was the perfect mix of relaxation and adventure. Clonakilty is only a few minutes away too, so we had some lovely meals out and picked up bits from the local markets.

"A Dream Wedding Come to Life"

We were blown away with the unmatched beauty of Dunowen – the set- ting, the people and all the details make it come to life. We feel so blessed to have had our wedding here and so grateful for Kela and Stephen for making this the most special day of our lives. We are leaving a piece of our hearts here so we will absolutely have to come back again. All our love

"An Unforgettable Celebration of Love"

I could not have imagined a more beautiful stay and wedding. We took a chance and put our trust in Kela and Stephen, booking Dunowen sight un- seen! What a wonderful experience to celebrate our love with the people we care about most without having to worry about the details. The flow- ers, the food and the accommodations were unforgettable. Thank you for giving us the space to create lifetime memories! Dunowen will have a piece of our heart. We hope to come back and do it again!

"A Perfect Stay"

Kela and Stephen. Thank you for our wonderful stay at Dunowen House and letting us enjoy the beauty of West Cork in your wonderful home and surroundings. We absolutely loved it.

"Another Unforgettable Stay"

Thank you Kela & Stephen for another amazing stay. When you’ve stayed in Dunowen it’s impossible to stay elsewhere. Your house is per- fection!

"A Perfect 70th Celebration"

Many thanks Kela and Stephen for a wonderful stay at Dunowen House. The house is so spacious, especially for our smallish family group who helped me celebrate my 70th birthday. Thanks for the beautiful flowers throughout and all the home baking. We loved the location.

"Surrounded by Dunowen’s Gardens and Coastal Beauty"

Thank you for a wonderful week. Everything was perfect and we loved being able to walk to the beach and sit in the beautiful gardens. Hope to come again.

"A Perfect 80th Birthday Celebration"

The end of a fabulous week celebrating my 80th birthday. It has been a brilliant stay with everything we needed. Just perfect. Thank you so much Kela & Stephen for your thought and kindness. All the best for the future and perhaps we will see you again!

The Ultimate 5-Star Escape

Bravo! You have created the perfect backdrop for a 5 star vacation. Our group of 18 could not have imagined a more comfortable and luxe week. I’ll see you on Instagram and we will all see you again in person next va- cation.

Flowers and fruits cake close up Flowers and fruits cake close up