pancake
crêpe
palatschinken
pfannkuchen
plättar
blini
injera
pita
galette

Eggs, flour, milk... time for some comfort food during these cold winter days. Gather the kids and make these together. Don’t forget to add your favorite filling & topping!

Pancakes, crêpe, pfannkuchen... whatever your language calls them, they are the perfect addition to a cold winter day! Although the word “pancake” is used across cultures, the meaning can be very different depending on where you are living and to whom you are speaking!

To someone in the US, when you say you are going to make pancakes for dinner, they might think you were crazy. And for a European, the thick, fluffy American pancake is more like a dessert than a breakfast, especially when you smother it with butter and maple syrup.

No matter where you come from, there is nothing like the smell of pancakes in any shape or form waifting in from the kitchen and taking that first steamy bite on a cold winter day. We hope you will enjoy making pancakes together with your family this season and make sure to have some language fun with the kids while you are at it!

We have chosen two recipes for which you only need a frying pan. These should get you started but don’t stop there! Did you know there is even a pancake day? Start by learning a bit about pancakes around the world: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pancake.

Thin Pancakes (crêpe)

Ingredients:
2 eggs
2 tablespoons melted butter or salad oil
1 1/3 cups milk
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt

IF USING A BLENDER: Place the ingredients in a blender container in the order listed. Cover and blend at high speed for 20 to 30 seconds. This batter can be used immediately.

WITHOUT BLENDER: Beat eggs, milk and oil with rotary egg beater or electric mixer until blended. Graudally add dry ingredients and beat until well mixed and smooth. Pour through a sieve to catch any lumps. Refrigerate this batter for 2 hours before cooking.

COOKING: Heat a frying pan on medium-high heat. When the pan is well heated, coat it with a thin layer of oil or butter. The pan is the right temperature when the batter sizzles slightly when poured into the pan. Pour in a few tablespoos of the batter into the frying pan, hold the pan and swirl it in a circle so that the batter coats the bottom of the pan and forms a thin layer. It should take around 1 minute for one side of the pancake to reach a light brown color. Using a spatula, flip over the pancake and cook it on the second side. Let it cook on the second side until done and then slid onto a warm plate. The pancakes can be layered one on top of the other until you have completed making all of them.

If the pan was not the right temperature or if the pan was not seasoned enough with the butter or oil, no worries. Just throw away the first pancake and try it again after having adjusted the heat or adding more butter or oil. It may be necessary to add more butter and oil after making a few pancakes.

Fillings and Toppings: The choices are endless! Try filling with a bit of lemon and sugar, or whipped cream and berries. Melted chocolate can be lightly drizzled across the top, or fill with applesauce! Each culture has its favorite toppings and fillings so take some time to check out the internet for some ideas!

Thick Pancakes

Ingredients:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 beaten egg
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons cooking oil

In a mixing bowl stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. In another mixing bowl combine egg, milk, and cooking oil. Add the egg, milk, oil mixture to the flour mixture all at once. Stir this mixture just until blended but still slightly lumpy (do not over mix!).

Heat a frying pan or griddle on medium heat. Coat with a little butter or cooking oil. When the pan is the right temperature, pour about a 1/4 cup of the batter into the pan for each pancake. To make smaller pancakes, use around one tablespoon for each. Cook until the pancakes are a golden brown. This usually is indicated on the uncooked side when many of the bubbles have popped and the edges of the pancake are dry. Using a spatula, flip over the pancakes, one by one, and cook on the second side until golden brown. Place pancakes on a plate, spread a thin layer of butter over each and add topping of choice. Maple syrup is a favorite topping in North America, as is jam, whipping cream, berries and more!

ENJOY!

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