6 down 74 to GO! Pannekoek – Traditional South African flat pancakes

“It’s baked at every fundraiser and sold at every school function. It has built church halls and bought a new school bus. It has built a new public swimming pool and paid for countless matric dances.”

“When rain pours down in the Boland it is a tradition to bake ‘pannekoek’. Outside it can be stormy weather but inside the toasty kitchen crunchy sugar melts under your teeth as the taste and smell of cinnamon softly kiss your senses. “

Traditional South African flat pancakes or ‘Pannekoek’ as it is known in South Africa is much like a Dutch/Belgian pancake. Pannekoek is usually much larger and thinner than an American or Scottish pancake. Pannekoek fillings can range from something as humble as cinnamon sugar and lemon juice or decadent as a banana, caramel and wiped cream combination.

In South Africa pannekoek is traditionally eaten as a sweet dessert on a cold and rainy day. It can also serve as a light meal with savoury fillings such as bolognaises or tuna and mayonnaise.

Pannekoek dusted with cinnamon sugar then rolled up into a tight little scroll is still my firm favourite. Fill a pannekoek with caramel, banana and whipped cream and I will be a very happy kid again. This is one of those desserts that can melt any grouchy girlfriend or unpleasant husband’s frigid disposition any day. 

My grandmother still bakes hundreds of these pancakes for the church bazaar every year. She and a couple of other ladies would have their 'set up' on a long aluminium table in the church hall. Armed with their little camping gas stoves and old school but trusty pancake skillets they will bake non-stop from 8am the Saturday morning until 12pm, finishing just before the Rugby starts. They always have their work cut out for them as hundreds of drooling customers anxious to get their hands on this delectable treat flock to the pancake tables. Without doubt the queues at the pancake tables put those at the Colosseum in Rome during the peak tourist season to shame. 

From all of the traditional South African desserts I have eaten, pannekoek is still my number one favorite. Give me pannkoek any day and I promise you I will never tire from it!  

 Pannekoek - South African flat pancakes

• 2 eggs
• 625ml (2 ½ cup) milk 
• 500ml (2 cups) cake flour
• 2,5ml (½ tsp) baking powder
• 2,5ml (½ tsp) salt
• 30ml (2 tbs) sunflower oil
• 15ml (1 tbs) good brandy 
• Nonstick cooking spray or oil for baking

Step 1 – Beat the eggs and the milk together

Step 2 – Bit by bit beat all of the dry ingredients into the egg and milk mixture.

Step 3 – Add the brandy and oil and mix everything together

Step 4 – Leave the pancake mix to rest for 30-60 minutes

Step 5 – Spray your skillet with non-stick cooking spray or add enough oil to cover most of the bottom.

Step 6 – Make sure your skillet is hot enough before pouring ¾ cup of pancake mix onto the hot skillet.

Step 7 – Tilt the skillet so that the pancake mix covers the bottom of the whole pan.

Step 8 – Bake the one side of the pancake until it is golden brown and turn over. Reap until both sides of the pancake are golden brown.

Step 9 – Flop the pancake onto a warm plate and dust with cinnamon sugar.  

Step 10 – With a fork roll the warm pancake into a little scroll and serve immediately.