The essential guide to making fluffy pancakes

Sift plain flour, baking powder, caster sugar and fine salt into a large bowl.

Whisk egg yolks, melted butter and buttermilk in a separate bowl until smooth.

In a clean, dry bowl, whisk eggwhites until about medium-stiff peaks, being careful not to over-whip

Gently mix yolk mixture into dry ingredients until they just come together – small lumps are totally fine, even encouraged. You want as little agitation as possible to keep them light and fluffy.

Fold in eggwhites with a spatula, being careful not to deflate the whites. Once the batter has just come together, stop mixing.

Heat a cast-iron skillet or a non-stick frying pan over medium-low heat and add as much butter as you like to the pan, the more the better; they're pancakes, not muesli – treat yourself.
Add a few ladles of batter to create rounds and let the batter fry in the pan until a lot of bubbles come to the surface (2-3 minutes). Flip, and cook until set on the bottom (2-3 minutes). The more butter you use (well, to a point), the crisper your pancakes will be.
Serve warm with whatever toppings take your fancy.

My favourite toppings are fresh sliced banana, roasted pecans, and maple syrup. In Australia, malt syrup is an awesome alternative. Stay away from the fake maple stuff. I am also a sucker for pancakes with canned peaches and crème fraîche – it sounds naff, but it's super tasty.