Dutch Pancakes (Pannekoeken)

When I asked J what he wanted for his birthday dinner – he replied “pancakes… we haven’t had them for dinner for ages!” He was right, it was probably 2004 when we had them last.

The pancakes he was talking about were Dutch pancakes, not Dutch baby pancakes, but real Dutch pancakes. They are large and slightly thicker than a crepe, and are often served with a variety of toppings, including cheese and bacon. We enjoy them for dinner, not breakfast.

J makes them with smoked bacon or grated mature (sharp) cheese in the batter. This is the yummiest way to serve them in my opinion. We loved them drenched with Dutch pancake syrup, golden syrup or maple syrup. The wonderful sweet and salty combinations will tantalize your taste buds.

When we make these pancakes, we use two pans – one 30 cm (12 inch) pan and one 25 cm (10 inch) pan. J eats the big pancakes and I have the smaller ones.

DUTCH PANCAKES (PANNEKOEKEN)
Makes 6 large pancakes AND 6 medium pancakes

Ingredients
1.2 (5 c) litre soy milk*
3 large eggs
1 tablespoon oil
1 teaspoon salt
500 g (3 ⅓ c) plain (all-purpose) flour
100 g (¾ c and 1 tablespoon) grated cheese*
2 small apples, grated
225g (½ lb) British back bacon, fat removed, cut into 2.5 cm (1 inch) squares, pan-fried and cooled
butter for frying
syrups for serving

* Mammalian milk and other milk alternatives can be used.
** A mature (sharp) cheese is best, but make sure you choose one that also melts - Old Amsterdam or mature (sharp) Cheddar works well.

Method
1. Place grated cheese into one large bowl, grated apples in the second and cooked bacon in the third.

2. In a liquidizer, blend milk, eggs, oil, salt and flour until smooth. The consistency should be slightly thinner than double (heavy) cream.

3. Divide the pancake batter amongst the three bowls; stirring each well.

4. Heat a knob of butter in the pan(s) over medium heat, and wait until it is really hot.

5. Spoon one ladle (or just less than 1 ladle for a smaller pan) and swirl the pans to coat the base of the pan(s).

6. Return to the heat and cook until the underside is golden. Loosen the pancake with a spatula as needed.

7. Flip the pancake and cook until golden on the other side.

8. Place on a plate in a warm oven whilst you cook the remaining pancakes.

9. Serve with the syrup(s) of your choice. Enjoy!