Pikelets with Orange Cranberry Sauce

My boyfriend and I are a huge sweet-tooths, and we both love eating home made treats. So we often moan to each other about needing to stuff our faces with delicious sugary goodies. (We are pigs as well as sweet-tooths). Problem is, he doesn't bake so it's always me that is left to slave away in the kitchen. (Okay so I actually enjoy it most of the time). 

However, there are those times when I'm feeling lazy or uninspired, yet the sweet-tooth cravings must be sated. That's when I turn to those classic favourite recipes which are super easy and can be whipped up in a moment's notice, or before my boyfriend's tummy rumbling becomes deafening.  For me things like french toast and pancakes or pikelets  are my saviours. They can be made in under 15 minutes and the toppings are only limited by your imagination. 

The last time I made pikelets I found some cranberries in the freezer so I turned them into this simple yummy topping. The sauce is tangy and sweet and has a great citrus undertone. I also topped them with a bit of natural yoghurt to cut through the sweetness. A winning combination that I will be sure to repeat. A simple alternative to the standard jam and cream topping.

Btw if you don't know what a pikelet is, it's similar to a pancake but smaller and thicker. They are also really adaptable; I like to sometimes add grated apple or mashed banana into the batter, that way they are yum even without a topping. Yum!

Do you have favourite quick sweet treats you like to whip up when you get a craving?

The Cranberry and Orange Sauce:

Ingredients:

200g frozen cranberries (fresh would obviously be fine too)

200g sugar
60ml water
Grated zest of 1 orange
Juice of 1 orange 

Method:

Cook all the ingredients in a pot on a medium heat for about 10 minutes or until the mixture thickens and most of the berries have popped.
Let cool. Makes approx 1 cup.

The Pikelets:

Ingredients:

1 cup (150g) self-raising flour (or add 1 teaspoon baking powder to plain flour)

Pinch of salt
1 tablespoon caster sugar
3/4 cup (185ml) milk
1 egg 

Method:

Add the flour, sugar and salt to a bowl.

Whisk the milk and egg together. Gradually add them to the dry ingredients, whisking until smooth.
Heat a little butter in a frypan over medium heat. Drop tablespoonfuls of mixture into the pan. Cook until bubbles appear on the surface then flip over and cook for just another minute or until golden. 
Makes approx 20 small pikelets.