How do you have your pancakes? Pancakes are a favourite all over the world, but each country has a slightly different recipe. I am excited to share my German Pfannkuchen recipe (Eierkuchen recipe) and traditions with you. German pancakes are either called Pfannkuchen or Eierkuchen. In Austria, they are called Palatschinken. [source Wikipedia]
The names Pfannkuchen and Eierkuchen refer to the German word for pancake. Which of the two names you use depends on which region in Germany you are from. Pfannkuchen is pronounced “PAN-COOK-EN” and Eierkuchen “I-R-COOK-EN”.
It is important to note that “Berliner Pfannkuchen” does not refer a pancake at all but to the Berliner Donut. In Berlin they use the term Eierkuchen to describe pancakes.
Pfannkuchen Mit Mascarponefüllung Und Erdbeeren
You might be surprised to find pancakes in the main course section of my recipes. In Germany, pancakes are traditionally not eaten for breakfast but for lunch. It is a big treat for my son when his Kindergarten puts Pfannkuchen mit Apfelmus - (pancakes with apple sauce) on the lunch menu.
There is not just one Pfannkuchen recipe or Eierkuchen recipe in Germany. Every family has their own, and they vary in methods and ingredients. However, they have three main ingredients in common: eggs, milk and flour.
If you add all the ingredients at once into a bowl, the chances are high that you end up with a lumpy batter. For this reason, it is important to start slowly. First mix the flour and milk. Then follow the eggs and finally the salt, pepper and mineral water.
Recipes In English
Adding carbonated/seltzer water into their pancake batter is a not-so-secret trick of the Germans. The carbonated/ seltzer water causes the Pfannkuchen to become fluffier. The carbonic acid adds little bubbles to the pancake batter that makes the pancake lighter when it's being baked. It acts similar to baking powder (affiliate link) but without chemicals.
The three main ingredients: mineral water, eggs, and flour do not bind immediately. It takes time for the gluten to relax and the starch to swell. This in turn will provide the pancake with more stability.
French crepes tend to be larger and thinner than pfannkuchen. The batter is more liquid. American Pancakes are often made with buttermilk and are the thickest of the lot. British pancakes are the most similar to German pancakes but are slightly thinner. They do not use a raising agent in their dough - pfannkuchen uses sparkling water and American pancakes use baking powder (affiliate link).
Apfelpfannkuchen: The Tasty, Controversial German Apple Pancake Recipe
Calories: 357 kcal Carbohydrates: 45 g Protein: 18 g Fat: 11 g Saturated Fat: 4 g Polyunsaturated Fat: 2 g Monounsaturated Fat: 4 g Trans Fat: 1 g Cholesterol: 334 mg Sodium: 163 mg Potassium: 276 mg Fiber: 2 g Sugar: 6 g Vitamin A: 584 IU Vitamin C: 1 mg Calcium: 128 mg Iron: 4 mgThere is nothing like the scent of fresh German pancakes in the kitchen!Here is how countless German moms made them… not even using a recipe but I have one I can share with you.
Recently someone asked me for a recipe to make German pancakes … in a Geman online community. Every answer to that question was like “I do not have a recipe, I just mix the ingredients without measurement but by feeling”. This seems to be very uncommon for Germans since we are so obsessed with precise measurements, right? Well, German pancakes seem to be an exception. They are made by feeling and therefore all pancakes are kind of different. So no child has ever watched their mother measuring flour or milk in order to make pancakes and once one moves out, one has to figures it out by themselves. What you need to know is this: There can be too much flour in the dough but probably not too much milk, and it doesn’t work without eggs!
I have a cookbook and I am not afraid to use it – with measurements! I tried it out and it works!
Kimchi Pfannkuchen (koreanische Pancakes)
Now I will also reveal my secret pancake ingredient: bakingsoda! OK, that is not surprising to you, since everyone here has baking soda in the pantry. In Germany, most people don’t even know what the package of baking soda looks like and where they can find it at the grocery … and what is baking soda anyway?
Yetsoda is in my pancakes since so many years that it goes even back to my time in Germany. It makes the pancakes really fluffy and easier to digest. Otherwise, you can feel really heavy after eating a pancake, trust me!
Instead of baking soda, Germans mostly use a little beer or just sparkling water in their pancake dough. Works too, so if you have already a bottle of beer open … at noon … in the kitchen … I am not judging … ;-)
Pfannkuchen Schnell Und Lecker Von Cyra. Ein Thermomix ® Rezept Aus Der Kategorie Grundrezepte Auf Www.rezeptwelt.de, Der Thermomix ® Community
Some people like their pancakes thick, some like them very thin and others like them in between. I suggest you try different styles and come to your own conclusion. We love them thin but sometimes we add apple slices or sugar plums to the pan or banana slices – in that case we need to make them a little thicker.
In my family I have made it a tradition to tell the story of the very big, fat pancakes (no offense) to my little ones while I bake them – and they can never hear enough of that story, because – just like my pancakes – I vary the story every time.
In a nutshell the story is about a pancake, baked by three women. It jumps out of the pan, through the window and runs right into the woods. There he meets different animals like a bear, a wolf, a fox … and they all say “Come here, big fat pancake, I want to eat you” but the pancake answers: ” Oh no, I have already run from three women, the bear and the wolf … and I will run from you, too!”. And this way the story goes on until the pancake meets some really hungry kids (who happen to have the same names as my kids) whoarelost in the woods and he feels so sorry for them, that he decides to sacrifice himself. End of story – Bon appetite!Here is a different version of the story. I found it on youtube:
Pfannkuchen Rezept, Frühstück Gericht Vorbereitung Buttermilch Pfannkuchen. Köstliche Flauschige Pfannkuchen Schritt Für Schritt Kochen Anleitung Vektor Illustration. Hausgemachtes, Leckeres Zubereitungsverfahren Stock Vektorgrafik
Syrup is not the common topping on German pancakes, neither is butter. We spread jam on the pancake or a mix of sugar and cinnamon. Some people like it with Nutella. We then roll the pancake and eat it like a wrap.
In summer it is a special treat to have a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top of your pancake and add some chocolate sauce.
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You can also put cooked asparagus and a white sauce on it and fold it in half and eat it. Some like to fill it with mushrooms and bacon … there are endless possibilities!
Recipe For Palatschinken
A pancake specialty is the “Palatschinken” that my Grandmother did: She fille the pancakes with a sweetened Quark and raisins, then rolled them and put them into a casserole. Next it goes into the oven for a bit and the result is delicious like cheesecake! I will post the complete recipe some day soon.
One important thing though: When you frythe pancakes do not use oil! Instead, use butter. It makes a huge difference in the taste and also butter doesn’t get as hot as oil does, so there is less of a danger to burn them.
But a smart German mother will always bake more than needed and let the leftover cool on a plate. Then she will cut them into smaller pieces and feed them as a snack – dipped in sugar and cinnamon. Or you can also cut them in stripes and add them to a vegetable fond andtada, there is your “Flädle-Suppe”, another German treat.
Mini Pfannkuchen Mit Himbeerskyr
If you have, bake two or more at a time in different pans. Serve as soon as ready or collect them on a plate and use a second plate as a lid to keep them warm.
In my cookbook, they ask for one tbsp. of sugar added to the dough but in my opinion, it doesn’t belong there and it tastes better if the pancake is slightly salty. But feel free to try it with that tablespoon if you feel different about it.
Calories: 257 kcal Carbohydrates: 30 g Protein: 9 g Fat: 11 g Saturated Fat: 6 g Polyunsaturated Fat: 1 g Monounsaturated Fat: 3 g Trans Fat: 1 g Cholesterol: 116 mg Sodium: 202 mg Potassium: 146 mg Fiber: 1 g Sugar: 3 g Vitamin A: 424 IU Calcium: 82 mg Iron: 2 mgThese thin German pancakes can be enjoyed sweet however you like: with jam, fruit, cinnamon and sugar, or with hazelnut cocoa spread!
Herzhafte Pfannkuchen (koreanische Pajeon)
German pancakes have a number of other names (often dictated by region) in Germany. They are sometimes also called Eierkuchen, Palatschinken, or even Plinse.
At the same time, they are usually thicker than a thin French crepe or Hungarian Palacsinta. Here’s more on confusing names for pancakes below…
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