Much like French crepes, this is a flat, thin pancake that can be stuffed with whatever you like and made sweet or savory, BUT Unlike crepes, the Dutch way of stuffing is usually within the batter, before it actually turns into a pancake, or pannekoek! The Dutch make these for special occasions such as birthdays, and kids usually have a bet as to who can eat more of these delicious pancakes!
Most enjoy with Dutch syrup or sprinkled with confectioners’ sugar, but many also stuffed with add-ons, or “ins” and I’m more like those people. The big finish is made with a hefty drizzle of schenkstroop – the sophisticated Dutch cousin to the American syrup, or dare I say, of the maple syrup? No matter how you think of this, schenkstroop is a heavier body syrup that doesn’t spread and soak in like maple syrup (which I absolutely love on American waffles and pancakes) but on pannekoek, it is just a marriage made in heaven, and I just want MORE!
Here is a recipe of how to make MY favorite Dutch pancakes: Instead of the bacon and cheese on the side, they are IN the pancake itself. The cheese of choice, of course it had to be a Gouda, but not just any Gouda – Rembradt Extra aged Gouda (which I got via Jana Foods, a small import firm bringing deliciousness to us here in the U.S.!).
This particular gouda has a strong, full bodied assertiveness that marries the bacon taste perfectly, breaking through the sweetness of the Dutch syrup making your taste buds do the waltz in your mouth.
Shoutout to my hubby @winecoach for introducing me to these, and my sister in law for teaching me the recipe! I love you and love these pancakes!
Bacon and Cheese Dutch Pancakes (Pannekoek)
WHAT
- 2 eggs
- 2 cup milk
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
- Butter, for cooking (a few tablespoons)
- Bacon, 4-6 strips
- Rembrandt extra aged gouda, shredded (1/4-1/2 cup)
Other Sweet favorites (You can also play with)
- Apples, thin slices
- Cinnamon sugar
- Banana slices
**Finalize with Dutch syrup (schenkstroop) – a delicious thick, beet based syrup that is really special! Nothing like maple syrup, and super delicious. We usually get ours in The Netherlands, have family bring it over, and most recently were able to order it online! This is what it looks like:
HOW
- In a large bowl, beat the egg until slightly foamy.
- Add the milk and salt, whisking to combine.
- Add the flour, slowly, whisking as you add, until the batter is smooth and runny, but not watery.
- Heat a 10 inch skillet over medium heat. Add a little butter to coat the skillet.
- Add ½ cup of batter to the pan and swirl it around to coat the pan. This is a thin pancake, slightly thicker than a crepe but much thinner than our typically fluffy American pancake.
- Cook the pannekoek over medium heat until it is just getting dry on the top and releases from the pan, 2-3 minutes. Flip the pannekoek and cook for 1-2 minute on the second side, until lightly golden.
- Remove the pannekoek from the pan and place on a platter. This is how you make a plain pancake.
- Now for the FUN PART: Making my favorite requires you to start off with the bacon – Pan sear it as you would a regular bacon strip any day of the week. Pour on ½ cup of batter and option # 1 – immediately sprinkle as much or as little of the shredded aged gouda as you like.
- Continue as you would a plain pancake, flipping it over when done. Here, you have option #2, where you may sprinkle the cheese if you haven’t done so when the batter still had not set. The cheese will still melt, it will be delicious. Place pancake on a plate, adding as much or as little syrup and roll it up!
- Add even more cheese to top it all off – the sharp saltiness of this aged Gouda is out of this world, and compliments the sweetness of the syrup with savory nature of this recipe very much!
Rolling up the pancake is how Dutchies actually eat these! They either pick it right up with their hands or cut it up with a fork and knife if they’re feeling civilized. It’s funny because they normally wouldn’t pick up a slice of pizza like we do and always use a fork and knife (Brazilians as well come to think of this), but these, they have no problem rolling up and taking a nice bite of it, even with syrup spewing out all over the place.
I say, what a yumness!! I just typically use a fork because they are too hot to handle with my fingers and I simply cannot wait for them to cool down enough to pick up! But the best thing about these is that they taste amazing the next day, cold, with syrup. Then I pick it up with my hands all day!
TIP: Keep your stack of pannekoeken warm on top of a plate that sits over a pot (as visualized above) with simmering water while you coat the skillet again with butter and cook up the rest of the batter. You can also keep it in the oven at a low temperature or better yet, eat them as you go! You will want some leftovers though, they are always the best the next morning.
NEXT DAY: I transform these delicious pancakes (normally the plain ones) into dinner or lunch, by further stuffing them with things like ham, cheese, pesto, chicken, whatever my heart desires. I just place the pancake over a frying pan, warm it up and add delicious toppings to it. I either fold it or roll it up and done! Some kind of wonderful savory rolled up sandwich!
Now that I have a half Dutch baby (and also a recipe for another day), you can say I have truly embraced this culture and grown to love as my own – There is no better way to embrace a culture than experiencing it in the kitchen, where love lives. I hope y’all enjoy this recipe!
ENJOY!
Xo, Ana
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