If you’ve ever visited the Netherlands, you must have come across many eateries that sell a mini sugary pancake that’s every foodies’ delight. These cute little pancakes are called Poffertjes. They are a traditional Dutch treat, almost synonymous with the culinary threads of this kingdom. These small fluffy pancakes are made with buckwheat flour and yeast. They are sweet, have drizzles of powdered white sugar over them and are relished with a dollop of butter or chocolate syrup and even along side the traditional Dutch alcohol - advocaat. In the Netherlands, Poffertjes are most commonly available, freshly made, at seasonal stands set up at street markets and festivals and in city squares.
The story behind the origination of this sweet treat has a religious bent. In the southern churches of the Netherlands sacramental bread (also called host) were used during communion ceremonies in the church. As the sacramental hosts were very dry, the brothers of the church started experimenting with various recipes mixing various types of flours, and Poffertjes were the result of one such culinary experiment.
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While this Dutch delicacy isn’t extremely difficult to make, you need a copper pan or a cast iron pan with shallow indentation at the bottom. One can find the poffertjes in any supermarket in Holland. They come ready-made as well as as stock mixes. This mini Dutch pancake can be served with a garnish of chocolate syrup, whipped cream and strawberries. If you’re tempted to taste this Dutch delicacy, here’s a recipe for it by Chef Tara:
Ingredients:
Active dry yeast - 2 1/4 teaspoons (7 grams)
Lukewarm whole milk 105-115˚F (40-46˚C) - 1 1/2 cups (355 milliliters)
All-purpose flour or half all-purpose flour/half buckwheat flour - 1 3/4 cups (220 grams)
Granulated sugar - 2 tablespoons (25 grams)
Salt - 1/4 teaspoon
Egg - 1 large
Butter melted, for greasing the pan
For serving:
Butter
Powdered sugar
Method:
In a small bowl, sprinkle the yeast over the milk, then stir to combine. Allow to sit until the yeast is frothy, 5-10 minutes.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt. Mix in the frothy yeast with milk and egg to form a smooth batter. Cover with plastic or a towel and allow to rest at room temperature until bubbly and puffed, about 1 hour.
Place the poffertjes pan over medium low heat and brush each of the cavities with melted butter.
Transfer the risen batter to a piping bag or large ziplock bag with a small edge of the corner snipped off. Pipe a small amount of batter, about 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters), into each of the greased cavities of the heated pan.
Cook until the bottom is golden and bubbles form on the top with the edges just set. Flip to cook the other side until golden. Adjust heat between medium and low as needed. Remove to serving dish and repeat with remaining batter, greasing the cavities as needed.
Serve immediately with butter and powdered sugar.
