Pancake Day is finally here, uplifting spirits through the cold winter months. This Shrove Tuesday, millions of Brits will be heading into the kitchen to gorge on some sweet delights.

If you’re lacking inspiration, or want to go for something different, we put five different types of pancakes to the test. From the French crepe to the American-style pancakes, there are more than one kind you can make this Pancake Day.

Whether you’re a crepe kind of person, or prefer thicker pancakes, below is a look at all the types you can make, why they're different and what we thought of each.

1. French Crepe Pancakes

Ingredients:

  • 100g plain flour
  • 2 large eggs
  • 300ml milk
  • 1 tbsp sunflower or vegetable oil, plus a little for frying

How to make:

  1. Combine the flour, eggs and milk
  2. Let the batter rest or chill
  3. Cook the crepes one at a time on a nonstick skillet over medium heat, with some oil
  4. Fill and serve

Probably the most recognisable and popular pancake you’ll find in the UK this Pancake Day. The humble crepe can be dolled up with a French buerre Suzette sauce (with oranges), or dusted with a light sprinkling of sugar and lemon juice.

These are also the easiest pancakes to make with very little fuss, with all the ingredients combined in a bowl. Granted they’re not the most technical or exciting, but if you’re looking for a convenient, no-fuss pancake batter which you can dress up in any way you want - this is for you.

2. American-style Pancakes

Ingredients:

  • 200g self raising flour
  • 1 ½ tsp baking powder
  • 1 tbsp golden caster sugar
  • 3 large eggs
  • 25g melted butter
  • 200ml milk

How to make:

  1. Sift the flour, baking powder, salt and caster sugar into a large bowl.

  2. In a separate bowl lightly whisk together the milk and egg, then whisk in the melted butter.

  3. Pour the milk mixture into the flour mixture and beat until the batter is smooth

  4. Heat a non-stick frying pan over a medium heat and add a knob of butter. When it's melted, add a ladle of batter

  5. Wait about three minutes until the top of the pancake begins to bubble, and the edges begin to set then flip it over and cook for two more minutes

  6. Serve

American pancakes have become all the rage in recent years, presenting themselves as an indulgent alternative to our traditional European interpretation of a pancake. Whether you’re topping them with the conflicting salty-sweet bacon and maple syrup, blueberries, or stuffing them with an overload of sugar, it’s bound to give you a sugar rush.

When you see photos, you expect them to be thick, full-bodied and pillowy. These were not those. The consistency of BBC Good Food’s recipe lacked the strength to keep a rounded shape.

Even with the addition of blueberry, the pancake resembled a limp scab and couldn’t compete with its Scotch counterparts. It was also the only recipe to use self raising flour, which appeared to seal its fate as a lifeless insole. I’d personally opt for a recipe using plain flour instead.

3. Scotch Pancakes

Ingredients:

  • 200g plain flour
  • 1 tbsp baking powder
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 large egg
  • 300ml milk

How to make:

  1. Sift the flour into a bowl and make a well in the centre. Add the melted butter, the egg and half the milk
  2. Mix and slowly stir in the remaining milk
  3. Heat a large frying pan and add oil
  4. Spoon the batter on top of each other in the pan to form each pancake (about 8cm wide).
  5. Cook in batches of three over a medium heat for one minute on one side, until small bubbles appear on the surface
  6. Flip and cook for 1 min on the other side
  7. Serve

My first time making Scotch pancakes were, in my humble opinion, a resounding success. Having heard whisperings from a colleague that Scotch cakes weren’t to be trifled with, I’m happy to concede on this occasion.

Where the American-style pancakes fell short, the Scotch pancakes more than made up for its Trans-Atlantic sibling. The batter was sturdy, thick and voluminous, perfectly forming the desired circular patty.

If you’re after an Instagrammable plate of pancakes, piled sky high with a delectable choice of toppings - I opted for maple syrup - Scotch pancake should be your first port of call.

4. Dutch Baby Pancake

Ingredients:

  • 100g plain flour
  • 3 large eggs
  • 150ml milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 3 tbsp vegetable or sunflower oil

How to make:

  1. Combine eggs, flour, milk, vanilla and blend until smooth
  2. Put a pan on a medium heat, add the butter and let it melt
  3. Add the batter to the pan, then place the pan in oven at 425 degrees and bake for 15 minutes
  4. Lower oven temperature to 300 degrees and bake about five minutes longer
  5. Remove pancake from oven, cut into wedges and serve

Another complicated-looking but surprisingly simple pancake is the Dutch Baby. If you’re not confident in your flipping skills or prefer minimal stove mess, a Dutch Baby takes a different route. Baked in the oven, the Dutch Baby originated from Germany, not the Netherlands. Coined by one of American restaurant owner Victor Manca's daughters, where the word "Dutch" was considered her corruption of the German autonym deutsch.

It might sound ridiculous, but a Dutch Baby’s versatility means it can easily be substituted as a base for a Yorkshire pudding. This pancake is perfect for sharing with others without having to make multiple patties. If you’re looking for a lighter, less dense option so you’re not left feeling stuffed, a Dutch Baby can provide you with a crispy, airy alternative with a chewy base. Really, it’s the best of both worlds.

To elevate your Dutch Baby further, a popular addition can be fruits (some doused in booze), not too dissimilar from an upside down cake. Or a fruity version of toad in the hole.

5. Boxty Pancake

Ingredients:

  • 250g mashed potato
  • 250g grated raw rooster potato
  • 250g plain flour
  • 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
  • 300ml buttermilk
  • 6 spring onions (optional)
  • 100g cheddar cheese

How to make:

  1. Put the mashed potato, raw grated potato, flour, baking soda and spring onions in a large mixing bowl and mix
  2. Add the milk, little by little, until you have a wet, dropping consistency
  3. Heat a non-stick frying pan over a medium-high heat with a little butter
  4. Add a spoonful of the mixture into the frying pan and fry for 3-4 minutes on each side until golden brown.
  5. Once you turn them add a little grated cheese and allow to melt
  6. Remove from the pan serve

Crossing the Irish Sea to our neighbours, a Boxty is a potato pancake not too dissimilar from a rosti. Made with a combination of potato and a buttermilk batter, the Boxty is the ultimate breakfast - or brunch - plate. Although a crepe can be jazzed up with savoury toppings, a Boxty gives your normal pancake a robust, rustic edge. This test has taken me across the pond, but I’ve never been so intrigued to delve into Irish cooking.

Following Irish chef Donal Skehan’s recipe, I learned the rhyme: “Boxty on the griddle, boxty on the pan, if you can’t bake boxty, sure you’ll never get a man.” A dense potato cake can be substituted for a typical savoury crepe, especially if you want texture. The addition of both mashed potatoes and raw grated potato is reminiscent of home cooking.

It’s all about getting the thickness right, as I found out. Make sure to evenly distribute the batter as the thicker you go, the harder it will be to cook the inside.