Real, original, authentic poffertjes

Real, original, authentic poffertjes

Poffertjes are Dutch mini pancakes. They’re made in a poffertjes iron, something all Dutch people have at home. At least so I’ve heard. If you’re not Dutch, and still want these delicious things, fear not! You can make them on a regular pan. They won’t be as perfect and cute, but still good. But wait, you say, what’s so special with these except being small? They’re just pancakes, aren’t they? Well, no, it’s not just the size. Two things give these a very distinct flavor. First, they’re made with buckwheat. Buckwheat is really flour made from a dried berry, and has a very distinctive flavor. Second, they’re made with yeast. Not only is yeast a great leavening agent, it also gives a wonderful yeasty flavor to the pancakes.

Oh, and one more thing… The Americans make something called “Dutch Baby Pancake” which has nothing to do with these. Dutch people have no idea what “Dutch Baby Pancake” is. It’s good too, though, and if you want to make one then follow this recipe.

Traditional dutch poffertjes

Traditional dutch pancakes

Ingredients for the batter

  • 150 gram all-purpose flour (about 1 cup or 2,4 dl)
  • 100 grams buckwheat (about 3/4 cup or a little more than 1,5 dl)
  • 350 ml full fat milk (that’s about 1,3 cup or 3 dl)
  • 15 grams of sugar (no more, it’s not for making the dough sweet. It’s for giving the yeast something to eat)
  • 2 eggs (buy good eggs, not the ones from hens that eat fish bones. That makes eggs taste like fish)
  • 6 grams of dry yeast or 25 grams of fresh yeast (that’s about half a package of either, they usually come in 12 grams and 50 grams respectively)
  • Three pinches of salt (yup, need some saltiness for flavor)
  • Good butter to fry and serve
  • Powdered sugar to serve

Making the pancakes (Day 1 and Day 2)

  1. Mix everything except the salt into a large bowl. Mix it up. And put it in the refrigerator over night. You could leave it in room temeprature for an hour or so, but the yeast flavors devolop much better over night. And you’ll have it all ready for pancake making in the morning.
  2. The morning after, stir in the salt. Why wait? Well, salt can kill of the effect of the yeast if you’re unlucky. So better not disturb it over night.
  3. Pour the batter into a plastic squeeze bottle. There are cheap ones to buy online, but you can also wash a ketchup bottle and use that.
    pouring the dough into the poffertjes iron
  4. Heat up a regular pan or a poffertjes pan. Grease it with butter (butter, not margarine!) and make little pancakes. Let them fry on medium high heat for about 3 minutes per side or until they’re bubbly and are starting to dry up on the top. Then turn them and fry for another 2-3 minutes until light brown on both sides.

    poffertjes machinemaking poffertjes
  5. Traditionally, you just serve them hot with powdered sugar and a nice chunk of butter that melts all over the goodness.

Poffertjes topping variation

If you want to vary the serving, don’t change the poffertjes recipe. They’re aboslutely perfect as is. Instead, vary the topping. Sure, you can add berries and syrup and what not, but then why not just make American pancakes? The beauty of poffertjes is the distinct buckwheat and yeasty flavor, and the simplicity of powdered sugar and butter when serving them. So, let’s vary the powdered sugar instead.

  • Powdered sugar with crushed cardamom
  • Lemon zest dried over night, and then mixed with with powdered sugar
  • Powdered sugar with cinamon
  • Powdered sugar with cocoa powder

Or whatever comes to your mind! Let me know what you’ve tried! If it’s good. If your variations were shit, don’t tell me.