Pannenkoeken
Dutch dinner pancakes with apple, cheese or both, baked into the batter
Dutch pannenkoeken are a meal, not a dessert: plate-sized, thicker than a French crêpe, and eaten for dinner with whatever has been baked straight into the batter. A pannenkoekenhuis in Amsterdam or by the dunes in Zeeland will offer dozens of fillings, but at home the favourites are apple (appel), young Gouda (kaas), or the two together, all finished with a thread of dark syrup (stroop). Kids eat them rolled up by hand. Chef's tip: lay the apple slices or cheese in the pan first and pour the batter over them, not the other way round; the fruit caramelises against the hot pan and the cheese becomes a crisp golden lace.
- Total time
- 50 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the batter
- 9 oz plain flour
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 eggs
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 ¾ oz butterfor frying
For the fillings
- 2 applescored and sliced 3 mm thick
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 tbsp caster sugar
- 5 ½ oz young Goudagrated; vegetarian rennet
- 6 tbsp Dutch syrup (stroop) or dark treacleto serve
- 2 tbsp icing sugar (optional)to dust
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Whisk 9 oz plain flour and ½ tsp salt in a bowl, make a well, add 2 eggs and a third of 2 cups whole milk and whisk to a thick smooth paste. Whisk in the rest of the milk until the batter is like single cream. Rest for 15 minutes.
15 minStep 2: Toss 2 apples with 1 tsp ground cinnamon and 2 tbsp caster sugar.
Step 3: Heat a 26–28 cm frying pan over a medium heat and melt a knob of 1 ¾ oz butter until it foams. Lay a fan of apple slices, a handful of 5 ½ oz young Gouda, or both, straight onto the butter and let them sizzle for 30 seconds.
Step 4: Pour in about 150 ml batter and swirl so it covers the base and the filling. Cook for 3–4 minutes, until the top looks dry and set and the edges are lacy and brown. Don't flip too early: a pale, soft underside will tear.
4 minStep 5: Slide a wide spatula under the pancake and flip it. Cook the second side for 2–3 minutes until the apples are golden and soft or the cheese is crisp.
3 minStep 6: Slide onto a warm plate and keep warm in a low oven while you cook the rest, adding butter each time. Serve drizzled with 6 tbsp Dutch syrup (stroop) or dark treacle and, for apple ones, a dusting of 2 tbsp icing sugar.
30 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 560 kcal
- Protein
- 21 g
- Carbs
- 72 g
- Fat
- 22 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does pannenkoeken take?
- About 50 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 40 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- What can I use instead of plain flour?
- Self-raising flour, same amount (then leave out the baking powder).
- What can I use instead of eggs?
- 1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 tbsp water per egg, left for 5 minutes (baking only; vegan).
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