Fluffy American Pancakes

Thick, soft pancakes for a slow weekend morning. The secret is not to overmix: a few lumps in the batter are exactly what you want. 1. Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a bowl. 2. In a jug, beat the milk with the egg and half of the butter, melted. 3. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ones and stir with a fork just until no dry flour is left. Let the batter rest for 5 minutes. 4. Heat a non-stick pan over medium heat and brush it with a little butter. Pour in about 3 tablespoons of batter per pancake. 5. Cook until bubbles appear on the surface and the edges look set, about 2 minutes, then flip and cook for 1 minute more. 6. Stack the pancakes and pour over the maple syrup while they are still hot.