A pannenkoek (; plural ''pannenkoeken'' ) or Dutch pancake is a style of

pancake A pancake (or hotcake, griddlecake, or flapjack) is a flat cake, often thin and round, prepared from a Starch, starch-based batter (cooking), batter that may contain eggs, milk and butter and cooked on a hot surface such as a griddle or fryi ...

with origins in the

Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...

. Pannenkoeken are usually larger (up to a foot in diameter) and much thinner than their American or

Scotch pancake A pancake (or hotcake, griddlecake, or flapjack) is a flat cake, often thin and round, prepared from a Starch, starch-based batter (cooking), batter that may contain eggs, milk and butter and cooked on a hot surface such as a griddle or fryi ...

counterparts, but not as thin as crêpes. They may incorporate slices of

bacon Bacon is a type of salt-cured pork made from various cuts, typically the belly or less fatty parts of the back. It is eaten as a side dish (particularly in breakfasts), used as a central ingredient (e.g., the bacon, lettuce, and tomato sand ...

apple An apple is an edible fruit produced by an apple tree (''Malus domestica''). Apple fruit tree, trees are agriculture, cultivated worldwide and are the most widely grown species in the genus ''Malus''. The tree originated in Central Asia, wh ...

cheese Cheese is a dairy product produced in wide ranges of flavors, textures, and forms by coagulation of the milk protein casein. It comprises proteins and fat from milk, usually the milk of cows, buffalo, goats, or sheep. During production, ...

, or raisins. Plain ones are often eaten with

treacle Treacle () is any uncrystallised syrup made during the refining of sugar.Oxford Dictionary The most common forms of treacle are golden syrup, a pale variety, and a darker variety known as black treacle, similar to molasses. Black treacle has a ...

(syrup made of

sugar beet A sugar beet is a plant whose root contains a high concentration of sucrose and which is grown commercially for sugar production. In plant breeding, it is known as the Altissima cultivar group of the common beet (''Beta vulgaris''). Together wi ...

s), ''appelstroop'' (an unspiced Dutch variety of apple butter) or (powdered) sugar and are sometimes rolled up to be eaten by hand or with cutlery. Basic ingredients are flour (plain, self-rising or both), milk, salt, and eggs. The addition of

buckwheat Buckwheat (''Fagopyrum esculentum''), or common buckwheat, is a flowering plant in the knotweed family Polygonaceae cultivated for its grain-like seeds and as a cover crop. The name "buckwheat" is used for several other species, such as '' Fago ...

flour (up to 50 percent) is traditional, but much less common nowadays. Milk can be replaced with soy milk without changing the end result. The ingredients are beaten into a batter of a fairly liquid consistency. A ladle of batter is then pan fried in butter or oil. Once the top of the pannenkoek is dry and the edges start to brown, it can be flipped over. The first one is often less than perfect. At home a stack of pannenkoeken can be made in advance so everyone can eat at the same time, or people can take turns at the stove. Pannenkoeken can be, and often are, eaten as a main course, served warm; in winter pannenkoeken are sometimes eaten after ''

snert Pea soup or split pea soup is soup made typically from dried peas, such as the split pea. It is, with variations, a part of the cuisine of many cultures. It is most often greyish-green or yellow in color depending on the regional variety of peas ...

'' in a two course meal. Pannenkoeken are a popular choice for a child's birthday meal in the Netherlands and Belgium. Specialised pannenkoeken restaurants are common in the Netherlands and Belgium ("pannenkoekenhuizen" = pancake houses). They often offer a very wide range of toppings and ingredients, traditional and modern (e.g. cheese, oregano and salami on a pizza-pannenkoek). Dutch and Belgian supermarkets offer pre-cooked (microwavable) pannenkoeken as well as pre-made batter and dry flour mixes. The latter only needs added water.

Regional variations

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring countri ...

, ''pannenkoek'' is typically used in singular: "Kom ons eet pannekoek" (Let's have pannenkoek) (Pannenkoek is Pannekoek in Afrikaans and South Africa) It is served with cinnamon and sugar; the cinnamon sugar mix is sprinkled over the pancake which is then rolled up and—unless consumed instantly—will be wrapped in wax paper to maintain warmth. The cinnamon and sugar melts into this warm and soft treat. It is often prepared as you watch at church bazaars, school fetes, and most any outdoor event which serves freshly cooked food such as barbecue (braaivleis). As a former Dutch colony,

Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Guine ...

also inherited the dish. It is locally known as ''panekuk'' and is often eaten with creams inside and sweet dressings such as honey, condensed milk, ''

hagelslag Sprinkles are very small pieces of confectionery used as an often colourful decoration or to add texture to desserts such as brownies, cupcakes, doughnuts or ice cream. The tiny candies are produced in a variety of colors and are generally used ...

'', or simply sprinkled with sugar. It is also a common practice to mix the batter with sliced banana fruits.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pannenkoek Belgian cuisine Dutch cuisine South African cuisine Pancakes Indonesian pancakes Dutch words and phrases

Regional variations

See also

References