With Pancake Day just around the corner, many will be donning their aprons and whipping up some sugary treats.

If you’re in need of some inspiration or fancy trying something new, we’ve put five different pancake styles to the test. From French crepes to American-style pancakes, there’s more than one way to celebrate Pancake Day.

This year, Pancake Day falls on Tuesday, March 4.

Also known as Shrove Tuesday, it traditionally takes place the day before lent – 40 days of fasting leading up to Easter.

Whether you’re a fan of thin crepes or prefer your pancakes with a bit more heft, here’s a rundown of all the types you can make, what sets them apart, and our thoughts on each.

1. French Crepe Pancakes

Ingredients:

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

Method:

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 beurre Suzette sauce (with oranges), or dusted with a light sprinkling of sugar and lemon juice.

American-style Pancakes

Ingredients:

• 200g self raising flour
• 1½ tsp baking powder
• One tbsp golden caster sugar
• Three large eggs
• 25g melted butter
• 200ml milk

Method:

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. 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
• One tbsp baking powder
• Pinch of salt
• One tsp ground cinnamon
• One large egg
• 300ml milk

Method:

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 one minute on the other side
7. Serve

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 such as maple syrup – the Scotch pancake should be your first port of call.

4. Dutch Baby Pancake

Ingredients:

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

Method:

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

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.

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
• One tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 300ml buttermilk
• Six spring onions (optional)
• 100g cheddar cheese

Method:

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 three to four 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

A Boxty is an Irish 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.

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.