I remember the very first time I cooked in front of a crowd. I was under a metre tall and my age was in single digits. My teacher had decided to do a cooking-at-school day. No wonder that with ideas like this, Miss Adams was my favourite teacher. The fact that she had a Farrah Fawcett do, flares and cork platforms which was the epitome of style at the time also helped and I also liked the sound that her bracelets made when they clanked together as she wrote on the chalkboard.
I was assigned the pikelets. Having never eaten them before and being plied with Chinese food during my childhood, these were quite a reveleation to me. Somehow, using a few ingredients, we measured, mixed up a batter and dropped them in the electric frypan and a minute or two later, out came fluffy delicious to eat pikelets. And of course we had real butter. Having grown up on margarine as my father felt that butter wasn’t good for you, the taste of real butter was intoxicating. I still recall standing there nibbling on a buttered pikelet in a blissful state wondering how on earth a bit of mixing and measuring produced something so good. I suppose this was my cooking revelation.
I’ve reproduced the recipe below as it was given to me – I call them kid proof directions. I have adapted the plain pikelet recipe to include nutmeg and have added fruit mince to it which I think makes the Christmas holiday last into another day. Today is a day where fortitude is necessary should you be engaging in some hand to hand combat. No I don’t mean a Christmas with relatives gone wrong. You know what I mean – the post-Christmas Boxing Day Sales.
So tell me Dear Reader, I’d love to know, how was your Christmas? What fabulous things did you eat and what exciting things did you receive? I was lucky enough to receive this gorgeous Rabbit lamp, an Alannah Hill headband, 30 Rock on DVD and a brand new television to watch Dexter and Mad Men on from my beloved Mr NQN!
Nutmeg Pikelets with Fruit Mince
An Original Recipe by Not Quite Nigella
1. Mix 1 cup self-raising flour, pinch of salt, 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg and 1/4 tsp bicarb.
2. Mix 1 egg, 1 cup milk, 1 tsp vinegar and 60g butter.
3. Add 1 to 2, stand 5 mins.
4. Heat a frypan on medium heat and add butter and oil to the frypan. I used egg rings to try and keep them as circular as possible although I do think there’s a real charm to a freeform pikelet. Once the top has started bubbling, carefully flip over and cook other side.
5. Spread with butter and top with 3 tablespoons of bottled or homemade fruit mince or as much as desired.
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48 Comments | Add your own
Oh the lamp is lovely.
We had a great day. I was in charge of making coconut bread, biscuits, scrambled eggs, ricotta hotcakes, honeycomb butter, chocolate pavlova, roast potatoes {with a twist} and trifle.
Phew.
I got a camera lens, a Marc Jacobs purse and a Marc Jacobs handbag. Spoilt!
Now I’m off to swim laps to start on my journey of getting serious about being healthy. x
Wow Mr NQN and Santa were good to you this year. A new TV to watch Dexter. Oh Dexter. There is just something about him. Whoops I got sidetracked. The pikelets look great. The fruit mince pies would have been delicious with it.
Brand new TV? AWESOME! Now you can watch all those closeups of Dexter’s kills!
And look at that cute rabbit lamp, so classy! That rabbit sure is shy with its little head covered by the shade! LOL. Good luck with the sales, especially with all this inclement weather!
What lovely presents! I like the lamp. Mr. NQN did gooood!
A Belated happy Xmas to all…
Your article on the Peter Gordon Lunch at Longrain laid the seeds of the idea for our Xmas lunch…Slow braised shoulders of veal marinaded in miso, mirin, sake, sansho, coriander and garlic, served with an assortment of thai salads.
Have a great New Year…
Xmas moaning started wih bacon, eggs, black pudding, toast, croissants and champagne.
Then more champagne was had until it was time for lunch.
Lunch – I will miss this next year when we are in London. Prawns, oysters, ham, cold chicken and turkey, my Mum’s awesome potato salad and heritage tomatoes fresh off Dads vines down the back.
Lots more booze consumed, then it was time to flame my pud (oh err missus), and wash it down with brandy sauce and Nans Rum Pie, some Noble One sticky and rum balls.
Then I collapsed into a comatose state for 4 hours.
Wow, that’s freaking cool! Of course you’ve got to celebrate Christmas with style…I wouldn’t expect anything else from the Fabulous Lorraine!
Merry Christmas!!!
You constantly surprise us with your beautiful creations!
what a gorgeous idea with the fruit mince, I have alot left over and will make yr recipe
You deserve a very relaxing Boxing Day after all you have done this year.
Love yr website!
Nicci
I received my Christmas present early last week. I was at work and I was delivered a package in the lab- from Fedex. I almost fell over when I saw the wording on the outside of the box- “Poilane”- and I started crying. My daughters had ordered me a bread and cookie selection from Poilane’s in Paris. What a lovely thoughtful gift for a baker like me! The BEST part was the fact that they actually had been listening to my yammerings about bread and baking and ingerdients, ad nauseum…I saved the bags that held the bread, all amblazoned with “Poilane” and I am going to have them framed to hang in my kitchen- smears of butter and all…The people at the clinic where I work got together and got me a cookbook, which they all signed- to me, “The Cook”. Very heart-warming. Today I am alone since my daughter that lives with me made a perilous icy trip to Dallas to be with her BF last night. We have about 4″ of unexpected snow on the ground and it has been a perfect day to cook and sew in solitary bliss. I have dough waiting to be made into chocolate shortbread cookies with a peppermint-infused chocolate ganache, and I made my first-ever batch of amaretti cookies. Lovely things! I am adding both of these to a huge collection of cookies ready to be delivered to all my co-workers Monday, in individual Christmasy tins. Yes, I know, but better late than never! My daughters helped me make ANZAC cookies (everyone loves them but no one can duplicate them around here since they can’t get the Lyle’s syrup, so they remain MY secret recipe- lol!), cappucino hazelnut cookies, chocolate chip and pecan cookies, lemon coolers, and my first-ever try at benne wafers- which are a bit different and won’t be to everyone’s liking. So, all in all, I am having a good holiday. I have a trenchcoat almost finished (gosh, I hate linings!) and I have 2 fleece cutie-pie jackets to make for my daughter and D-I-law. See, LOTS to keep me busy for the next 3 days!
Thank you again for sharing with us, NQN- you rock!
I lobe that lamp and Mad Men ;-p!
Lovely recipe!
I had a great Christmas! I finally got my red KA!!!!!
Cheers,
Rosa
yum… what a great idea…. hope u had a great xmas. and i cant wait to see what you come up with for NY…. a cocktail recipe … is a must..
merry xmas
Oh Yum – haven’t made pikelets for years. I used to make them for my girls for afternoon tea when they came home from school and put chopped up pears and cinnamon – you’ve brought back lots of great memories …
Christmas was a quiet time but still with loads to much to eat( prawns, roast pork etc ) and there I am backing up again today with friends who always have a great get together on Boxing day !!! Thanks Lorraine for more inspirational morsels, Happy shopping
I could just imagine how you must’ve felt when you tasted that very first buttered pikelet!
Those pikelets look lovely and I’ll probably whip a batch up for New Year in keeping with the “round golden things” theme for good luck.
And that rabbit lamp ~ !
…but what did Mr NQN receive?
Merry Christmas, Lorraine! I’ve received many things this year, not necessarily just for Christmas, but it has definitely been a year of experiences for me to say the least =)
Gorgeous lamp Lorraine, it is a little like the cat that I received. I have been walking past this cat and admiring it every morning on my way to the station and was so surprised to see a smaller version emerge from the wrapping yesterday. (Original one cost >$400!). Pikelets are a great child-friendly thing to make – the are easy to make and produce satisfyingly tasty results.
Yesterday, for breakfast, I cooked your sour cream pancakes (sans apple) and topped them with Prunes in Port (for a Christmas twist) and a generous dollup of thick King Island Cream. Lunch for us was the traditional feast of Turkey and Ham (smoked lamb for us because we don’t eat ham) and hot vegies – old family traditions die hard!
What cute looking pikelets…well the name says it all anyway! what lovely n extrvaagant present u recieved! m crazy bout the lamp! happy holidays
)))
Gorgeous presents & cute pikelets! Happy Holidays to both of you!
Well, Christmas Lunch was two hours late because my turkey took longer than expected and I had to cook the lasagna in the BBq because the foil tray was too wide for my oven
but after all the hiccups lunch/early dinner turned out to be a real success. Starting with SA king prawns, 6 doz.Tassie St.Helen’s oysters done all ways. leg of ham, roast turkey, lasagna, two salads, lamb curry and vegetable Pilau, lots of fresh fruit , ice-cream truffle semi-freddo, biscottini, ciambellette, chocolates in all shapes and sizes. Waaaaaaaaaaay too much food and topped off with Moet Nectar which my doc. brother-in-law always bring from the US when he comes to Australia for our family Christmas.
Then came the prsent un-wrapping…..a D & G White handbag ( which I am in love with), Blvgari sunglasses,Salvatore Ferragamo clutch and scarf, a watch, money, hampers, aaaaaand today is my birthday so I’m doublely spoilt with lots more presents. Bliss!!
Glad to hear that your Christmas was great as well, can’t wait for 2010 with NQN.
Merry Christmas my sweet adopted daughter! I’m wishing I could taste your delicious Pikelets. Today I am dealing with a Christmas cold
But that didn’t stop me from eating way too many sweets! I spent the evening cuddled in a blanket on the couch watching my new Julie and Julia DVD. xoxo Mum
Lovely styling Lorraine – so beautifully festive! I’m glad to hear you had a bountiful xmas! I’m living it up here in Lennox Head
See you in 2010 x
These look great, and are a festive twist on an everyday staple.
My Xmas was great – I love your lamp!
Awww, that rabbit lamp is so cute! We had such a variety of foods yesterday, turducken, ham, prawns, prawn gow gees, salmon sashimi, garlic salmon steak, two types of potato salad, a tuna pasta salad, a glass noodle salad, boozy champagne jellies, cardomom chocolate espresso mousse, trifle, cheeses, fried spring rolls, just your typical ABC Christmas feast!
how good is butter *drools*
when i think of how good butter is – i imagine homer and his butter stick wrapped in bacon/ham
Merry Christmas Lorraine, glad you got nice and spoilt
I was also spoilt, with lots of exciting new kitchen gadgets and lots of amazing food. I think I have already eaten my caloric intake requirements for 2010 
Merry Christmas Lorraine!
What a great recipe. I think it’ll be perfect to try out this weekend. Thank you.
I made a Christmas turkey feast for the family & on Monday, to celebrate my parents’ 35th anniversary, we’ll be going out for dinner. Mmm. More eating.
I’ve never heard of pikelets, but anything with nutmeg sounds good to me!
I love the lamp, btw, and 30 Rock and Mad Men are two of my favorite shows! Sounds like it was a great xmas!
These look fabulous! Yum yum! Merry Christmas, honey! We don’t celebrate Xmas so I spent it making a DB gingerbread house. Did make a seafood platter for hubs.
Hmmm nice!
After all the foodful christmas feast, I’d definitely like a brunch like that! Buterrrrrr.
Hope you had a great one!
They look so cute! great idea serving them with fruit mince, very festive.
Hello Lorraine
THese pancakes are waiting for me they are very tempting and look scrumptious !! happy celebration for you and all your loved ones
cheers from Paris
What a wonderful story! I love the visual of Miss Adams! And what wonderfully fun presents you received. The headband and lamp are especially great!
Evan gave me a Kitchen Aid stand mixer!!!! Thanks for asking!
aw, they’re like baby pancakes! hooray for real butter and the gorgeous fruit you’ve placed atop your pile o’ pikelets.
Any pancakes/pikelets of any form are always good – I love the festivity of this one! I was actually thinking of using my turkey leftovers to make turkey pancakes, served with cranberry sauce (of course!). Too bad I headed out of home the moment I woke up though… the shops were waiting you see.
I hope you had a very happy Christmas! x
pikelets are such fun for kids but the mince makes them very adult (btw – is the butter in the recipe melted – I am assuming it is?) – and it is such a good way to use up leftover mince
Yummy pikelets! And ooh I love that lamp! Lucky thing to have all those brilliant presents!
I love pikelets!! I’m going to make some tomorrow… yum!
Aw yay I love pikelets – soo good hot out of the pan with some jam. Will definitely be giving the nutmeg ones I try.
I got really spoilt with a bus tour from LA to Vegas for my upcoming trip to America – I’m sooo excited, I am taking many stretchy pants to eat as much American cuisine as possible.
I’m a (young) teacher, and if one day just ONE of my students could speak about their time spent with me like this, then all the work would be worth it.
PS – I do cooking with the kids. Homemade bread and hearty winter soups!! So fun!!
Love the lamp!!!!!!!I want!
Nice idea serving the pikelets with fruit mince! Hope you had a great Christmas.
i should try this from my left overs!!
soo creative L!! happy new year 
Miss Adams sounds like so much fun! (I always had “older” teachers, lol!)
Fabulous lamp! Delicious recipe, and the pikelets looks just lovely on that pretty blue plate.
Hi fat mum slim-Thankyou! Wow, you cooked such great stuff and I thought you didn’t cook!
Oooh how totally fabulous! You SO deserve them all too! 
xxx
Hi Katherine-They were indeed I have to agree!
Hehe don’t worry I get sidetracked when it comes to him 
Hi joey-I know!
Thankyou! It was so Alice in Wonderland! 
Thankyou! I survivied, it wasn’t so busy which was surprising! 
Hi Y-He sure did!
Hi Wayfarer- A belated Merry Christmas to you!
Oh that sounds divine! 
You must have had some very happy guests! 
Hope you have a great New Year too!
Hi Elisa-Sounds like an excellent start for Christmas!
Hehe do you get people knocking on your door asking to be part of your Christmas celebrations? 
LOL at your last line!
Hi sophia-Thankyou!
Hey but you got snow which is awesome! 
Merry Christmas Sophia darling! 
Hi Nicci-Aww shucks thankyou!
Yes I’m terrible at relaxing though, Mr NQN has been trying to get me to relax but I can’t 
Thankyou so much Nicci! 
Hi June-Oh my Poilane!
I totally understand your reaction and what a lovely daughter you have 
Yes sounds like perfect baking weather. I have that today with some intermittent rain although nothing says baking quite like snow! 
I love the fact that you make Anzac biscuits, they’re so good aren’t they! So buttery and delicious 
You baking menu sounds incredible and you sound like you’re having a ball! 
Thankyou for reading June! 
Hi Rosa-Hehe congratulations Rosa! How exciting for you!
Hi kelly-Thankyou!
hehe I don’t know if I can even think about a cocktail right now but I’ll try! 
Merry Christmas! 
Hi Chris-Yum! Pears and cinnamon with pikelets! Sounds like you are very busy indeed and having lots of fun!
You’re more than welcome and thanks for reading! 
Hi Midge-Oh I can still remember it so clearly!
Fabulous, Happy New Year to you! 
Hehe do you like it? 
Hi Norman-Mr NQN received his body weight in books and bike equipment (plus he gets to watch the tv too)!
Hi mlle délicieuse-Merry Christmas to you my dear!
Yes wasn’t 2009 an amazing year! 
Hi Sylvia-Thankyou!
Oh how wonderful for you! Isn’t it the best when they appear in your hands! 
Oh how fantastic! That sounds like a piece of heaven most definitely 
You had an amazing feast!
Hi zurin-Thankyou so much!
I feel very spoilt indeed 
Thankyou I am too 
Happy Holidays!
Hi deeb-Thanks very much! Happy Holidays to you and your lovely family
Hi matilda-Ahh not to worry, isn’t that the charm of a Christmas Lunch! That unexpected things
Oh wonderful and having tried your lovely biscuits which I must thankyou for sending me, I can imagine that you have some very satisfied guests that rolled out the door 
Oh you really scored on the present front! 
How utterly fabulous! Thankyou for being such a devoted reader! 
Hi Barbara-Merry Christmas my lovely adopted mum!
Oh no, I’m so sorry to hear that 
Aww how fabulous!
Hi Christie-Thankyou so much! Glad to hear you’re having a ball!
xxx
Hi Cakelaw-Thanks! Yes I figured we had some leftover and I bet a lot of people do
Thankyou! Glad to hear yours went well! 
Hi Moya-Thankyou very much!
Ooh you had a turducken? 
Fabulous stuff! Wow, your menu sounds like what my mum puts together 
Hehe how utterly fabulous!
Hi betty-I know, it is da bomb!
Hehe I saw deep fried butter on Oprah the other day! 
Hi Conor-Merry Christmas to you Conor! How fantatsic! I’m so happy for you
Hehe I’m afriad I did the same 
Hi The Asian Pear -Merry Christmas!
Thankyou, I hope you like it! 
YAY tis the season for mucho eating huh! 
Hi erin-I guess they’re like cute little pancakes
Thankyou! Yes Santa or Mr NQN was very good to me! 
Hi Jamie-Thankyou sweetie! Ahh and yours was a stunner I must say!
Hi Yas-Hehe yes isn’t butter the best?
I did, yours sounded great! 
Hi pigpigscorner-Thankyou! Hehe hubby loves the stuff and we always have it
Hi pierre-Thanks so much!
I hope you had a fantastic one too! 
Hi MaryPoppinsinHeels-Thankyou! I can still remember her haircut and clothes and bangles!
Thankyou! Oh how fabulous, you will have a ball! 
Hi grace-Yep they sure are !:D Thankyou!
Hi Su-yin-Thankyou! I thought that the holly leaves looked nice and festive
Ooh that sounds lovely! Or Turkey crepes too! Yum! 
I hope the shops provided much goodies. I did, I hope yours was great! 
xxx
Hi Johanna-Yes sorry the butter int eh recipe is melted and then you can spread some more on top if you want
Thanks!
Hi Forager-Thankyou! I feel very lucky indeed
Hi Anita-YAY what a great idea!
Hi Alex-Yes straight out the pan and they’re sooo good I agree! Cool! Oh wow, that sounds amazing! You are so lucky! Hehe yes the stretchy pants
What a brilliant gift 
Hi Lu-Aww I bet they will!
I’d definitely liked you are my teacher!
Hi Reemski-It’s cute huh!
I want to pet it all the time 
Hi Arwen-Thankyou! I really did, hope yours was fabulous!
Hi nora-Oh yes do! Thankyou so much Nora and a Happy New Year to you too!
Hi Faith-Thankyou so much! Yes I suppose younger teachers were quite rare!
Thankyou so much darling! 
OoO these look like such a great way to start the day. So little and puffy 8). And I don’t even like cats (sorry…) but that lamp is pretty awesome. Happy new year!
Hi Xiaolu-Hehe thankyou so much and a Happy New Year!
Hi Lorraine,
) for Christmas from my husband!! Have already given it a whirl making pizza dough to make use of all that left over ham and turkey. Next thing to make will be some butterfly cupcakes, me thinks 
Hope your Christmas was fabulous – love the lamp! My Christmas was pretty good. Orange Honey Mustard Ham turned out perfect, gingerbread gifts went down a treat! And… I got a KitchenAid mixer in the (Candy Apple Red colour
Hi Toni-How fabulous! I’m so glad to hear that your Christmas went well and I totally share your excitment about a Kitchenaid and in the gorgeous Candy Apple red too!
Fantastic stuff-enjoy! 
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