Buttermilk Pancakes with Strawberry Compôte

Add 100ml water and balsamic vinegar and bring to a bubble and reduce for 15-20 minutes until you have a thick compôte. Keep an eye on this whilst cooking to ensure that it doesn’t burn, set aside and use as a topping later

Mix the flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Melt the butter and separate the eggs

In a separate bowl, mix together the buttermilk, milk, egg yolks and melted butter. Tip into the dry mix and fold it in to combine (don't overmix, lumps are fine)

In another bowl, whisk the egg whites with an electric hand whisk until starting to look a little foamy. Start to stream in the sugar and continue to whisk util soft peaks form. Tip this into the rest of the batter and gently fold to combine- remember, lumps are okay

For the optional toppings, cook the bacon in the oven for 10-15 minutes or until crispy. Finely chop the mint and toast the pecans in a dry pan for a few minutes before crumbling in your hands

Pre-heat a non-stick pan to a medium heat, then gently spray with a thin coating of oil and tip the pancake batter into the pan. Cook for 3-5 minutes on each side until golden and cooked through. Don't overcrowd the pan - in batches. Whilst cooking more pancakes, set aside the cooked ones on a plate and cover with a kitchen towel to stay warm. Serve with your toppings of choice and enjoy!