December is here! Which means we’re nearing the end of the year (and what a year it’s been!) and, depending on where you are in the world, we’ve officially entered the winter season! Cold weather plus the holiday season equals comfort food and hot chocolate, or at least, it does for me. One of my favourite holiday-season comfort foods? Poffertjes!
So what exactly are poffertjes, you ask? They’re tiny Dutch pancakes! In the Netherlands, these are a staple at holiday fairs. Made to order and served hot, piled high, topped with soft butter and a generous dusting of powdered sugar, poffertjes make the perfect snack to eat while bundled up, roaming around a holiday fair.
Thankfully, you don’t need to wait for cold weather to have poffertjes! They’re a great option for breakfast, brunch, lunch, snack, or breakfast-for-dinner (I would know, I’ve had poffertjes for all of these meals!). And while butter and powdered sugar are the most traditional toppings for these fluffy babies, fresh fruit, chocolate spread, or maple syrup all make for great toppings too!
So, what’s the catch? Well, poffertjes are traditionally made in a rather odd-looking specialty pan: the poffertjespan! If you don’t have a poffertjespan, don’t sweat it; they can also be made in a regular skillet with some care and patience. As for the recipe itself, there are two ways I make poffertjes: the old-school way and the “I-don’t-have-time-or-patience-to-do-this-the-old-school-way-but-it-tastes-just-as-good-so-that’s-that” way.
The old-school way entails making a yeasted batter and a bit of patience. The second way replaces the yeast with baking powder and indulges your impatience, and still tastes pretty darn good! Both ways involve one key ingredient: buckwheat flour. I know, who just has buckwheat flour lying around the house? If you don’t have buckwheat flour, don’t sweat it at all. While buckwheat gives the poffertjes their distinctive taste, there are substitutions you can make here. Using spelt flour mimics some of the nuttiness of buckwheat, but spelt isn’t exactly a regular ol’ pantry flour either! No spelt? Just substitute regular all-purpose flour and you’ll be good to go! You can also make these partly or entirely with whole wheat flour, whatever floats your boat!
Traditional Dutch Poffertjes
Equipment
- Poffertjespan
Ingredients
- 200 grams all-purpose flour
- 100 grams buckwheat or spelt flour
- 2 teaspoons instant dry yeast or baking powder
- 1 tablespoon white sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs
- 450 milliliters warm milk (not necessary for the milk to be warm if using baking powder)
- 40 grams unsalted butter melted, plus extra for brushing
Instructions
- Combine all the dry ingredients in a medium bowl and make a well in the centre. Crack the eggs into the centre and beat with a whisk. Slowly add half of the milk, beating well until the batter is smooth. Slowly add in in the rest of the milk, followed by the melted butter.
- If using yeast, cover the bowl and leave to rest in a draft-free place for about 1 hour. If using baking powder, skip this step.
- Heat a poffertjespan over medium-low heat. Once warm, grease the pan with some butter and spoon about 1 tablespoon of batter into each of the rounded shapes. Cook for about 30-60 seconds on each side, flipping once bubbles are forming and the bottom is dry. Serve warm with butter and powdered sugar.
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Cheers