Whisk the dry ingredients together. In a large mixing bowl, sift together the plain flour, caster sugar, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, and fine sea salt. Give them a good whisk with a balloon whisk until everything is evenly combined — you'll see a uniform pale colour with no streaks of baking powder.

Separate the eggs. Crack the eggs carefully, dropping the yolks into a small bowl and the whites into a separate, clean, grease-free bowl. Set the whites aside for now — they're about to become our secret weapon for extra lift.

Mix the wet ingredients. In a jug or medium bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, egg yolks, melted butter, and vanilla extract until smooth. The mixture should look pale yellow and smell faintly of vanilla and tangy buttermilk.

Combine wet and dry. Pour the wet mixture into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Stir gently with a wooden spoon or spatula until just combined — a few small lumps are absolutely fine, and you should see a thick, slightly lumpy batter. Do not overmix, or your pancakes will turn out tough.

Whip the egg whites. Using a clean whisk or electric mixer, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. When you lift the whisk, the whites should stand up tall without drooping, and the bowl can be turned upside down without anything falling out. This should take about 2-3 minutes with an electric mixer.

Fold in the egg whites. Gently fold the whipped egg whites into the batter using a rubber spatula. Use a cutting motion through the centre, then fold the batter over from the side. Repeat until no white streaks remain — the batter will become noticeably airier and lighter, almost like a soufflé mixture. You'll see it increase slightly in volume.

Heat your pan. Place a large non-stick frying pan or griddle over medium heat. Add a small knob of butter and a splash of oil. When the butter has melted and is foaming gently, and a drop of water flicked onto the pan sizzles immediately, it's ready. If the butter browns too quickly, turn the heat down slightly.

Cook the pancakes. Pour about 80ml (a generous ¼ cup) of batter per pancake onto the hot pan. Let them cook undisturbed until you see bubbles forming all over the surface and the edges look set and slightly dry — this usually takes 2-3 minutes. The bottom should be deep golden brown when you peek underneath with a spatula.

Flip and finish. Flip the pancakes carefully with a thin spatula. Cook for another 1-2 minutes on the second side, until the pancake is puffed up and feels springy to the touch, and the bottom is an even golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack or a warmed plate while you cook the remaining batter.

Serve immediately. Stack the pancakes on warmed plates, adding a small pat of butter between each layer if you like. Drizzle generously with maple syrup and top with fresh berries. The pancakes should be tall, fluffy, and tender — with a slight tang from the buttermilk and a sweet, buttery finish.