Swedish Pancakes (Pannkaka)
“Whoa, Mom! These are GOOD!” exclaimed my oldest daughter with her mouthful of Swedish pancakes. That was exactly the sentiment I was hoping for from my picky “dad-makes-the-best-pancakes” crowd. It occurred to me over a plate of huge fluffy pancakes this past weekend that I have never made my kids the style of pancake, or should I say pannkaka, that I grew up eating. My grandma Marjorie almost always made us Swedish pancakes when we came to spend the night with her and I remember them well. I also remember the eye roll and look of amusement that she’d give to my grandfather after he sprinkled the cakes with chocolate chips while her back was turned. We thought that was supremely hilarious!
I do not like fluffy pancakes and it’s because I grew up on these little discs of Swedish pancake wonder also called plätter in the Swedish cookbook that I have passed down from my gram. Now, if you’re looking for a fluffy pancake, this is NOT the recipe for you. Swedish pancakes are thin and crepe-like. I like to stack them four or five high which my husband argues is the same thing as having one or two fluffy cakes. Totally NOT the same. The texture is very different and the way these cakes hold the toppings is different too. The toppings stay on top rather than absorbing into the cake which I personally prefer as they don’t get mushy like fluffy pancakes often do. You can serve them rolled up like a crepe, folded in half or quarters and traditionally these cakes are paired with fresh fruit or a preserve. I kept with tradition and smeared a tart lingonberry jam with a dollop of whipped cream (or coconut cream) on top. They are also tasty with butter and maple syrup. A few little changes I made to the recipe was that I used coconut milk (you can use any kind of milk) and I used an ancient wheat flour made from einkorn wheat as it has significantly less gluten and is healthier for you than modern wheat flours. I also used maple syrup in place of white sugar in the original recipe but white sugar or honey will also work great!
So, in a small tasty tribute to my grandmother, I lift my forkful of Swedish pancake smothered in lingonberry jam…Cheers to a most delicious breakfast!
- 2 cups einkorn wheat flour (or other all purpose flour)
- 1 teaspoon pink himalayan salt (use ¼ tsp for low sodium)
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup (or sugar)
- 2 cups milk (dairy or non)
- 4 eggs, beaten
- butter/lard/oil for pan
- Toppings: fresh fruit, preserves, maple syrup, whipped cream
- Combine dry ingredients in a medium sized bowl.
- Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and add wet ingredients to the "well".
- Whisk all ingredients together to incorporate. Batter will be thin.
- On medium heat, warm up a small frying pan or griddle so that it's hot enough to melt butter but not burn it. If the pan it too hot, the batter will scramble rather than make cute round cakes.
- Gently pour a small amount batter into pan and tilt the pan so it spreads evenly.
- Let cook on one side for about 2-3 minutes until the top starts to look dry.
- Flip and cook other side.
- Serve warm with fresh fruit, preserves or maple syrup.
- Makes approximately 16 cakes 5-6 inches in diameter.
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