Pannekoek With Cinnamon Sugar
Pancakes South African style
Ingredients
For the pannekoek:
2 cups of all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
4 eggs
3 cups of cold water
½ cup of vegetable oil and some for the pan (about 2 tablespoons)
The batter will yield approximately 12 – 15 pannekoeke.
For the cinnamon sugar:
¼ cup granulated sugar – white or brown
1 tablespoon of ground cinnamon
Instructions
- In a medium-sized bowl, whisk the eggs, water, and ½ cup of oil together.
- In a larger bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Pour the egg mixture into the flour mixture, whisking the mixtures together as pouring. The batter should be very runny and smooth.
- While the batter rests, prepare the cinnamon sugar by mixing the cinnamon and sugar until evenly distributed.
- In a frying pan, heat the 2 tablespoons of oil and pour off extra oil once the pan is seasoned. This will prevent the pannekoek from sticking.
- Reheat the frying pan to medium heat and spoon in the batter to form a thin layer just coating the bottom of the pan.
- Once bubbles form on top and the pannekoek pulls away from the side it is ready to be flipped.
- Once cooked on both sides, transfer to a plate, sprinkle some of the cinnamon sugar mix over the centre of the pannekoek and roll it.
- Repeat until you are out of batter.
The Backstory
Pannekoek is an Afrikaans word for a dish very similar to crepes – maybe a slightly thicker version. Afrikaans is a Dutch derivative and it is the third most common language in South Africa (thanks Wikipedia…) – my country of birth. The pannekoek is not sweet and therefore very versatile and can be used with sweet or savory fillings.
Growing up in South Africa, pannekoeke (the plural for pannekoek) were usually prepared as comfort food on cold, rainy days. We used to refer to it as “pancake weather”. My mom would prepare a savory filling such as ground beef or spinach and feta cheese and that would serve as the main course and the cinnamon sugar or Nutella would be used as a filling for dessert. It is also a food that is commonly sold at community fairs as it can serve as breakfast, lunch, or dinner. When we get really homesick in winter and it’s “pancake weather” at its worst, I will prepare the batter and my husband will whip up some pancakes. It is of course also a favorite with our son!
