Pannekoek / South African Crêpes

For me, nostalgia at its best. This is my mom’s recipe (dankie Mamma).

Watch me make this recipe here:

Alana Smith (@alanasmithsweetphotography) • Instagram photos and videos

Makes enough batter for about 16 pannekoek (I use a 25cm round crêpe pan)

PANNEKOEK BATTER

eggs, 3

milk, 375g (375ml or 1 + 1/2 cup)

water, 375g (375ml or 1 + 1/2 cup)

oil, 125ml (1/2 cup) - use your preferred neutral flavour oil (I like grapeseed oil)

vinegar, 5ml (1 teaspoon) - white or apple cider vinegar works well

plain/cake/all-purpose flour, 300g (500ml or 2 cups)

baking powder, 5ml (1 teaspoon)

fine salt, 1.25ml (1/4 teaspoon)

Separate the eggs, placing the egg yolks in a large mixing bowl and the whites in another large mixing bowl (or the bowl of a free-standing mixer).

To the egg yolks, add the milk, water, oil and vinegar and whisk until uniform.

Add the dry ingredients to the egg yolk mixture and whisk again until smooth and uniform.

Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks, then whisk them into the batter until smooth and uniform.

Rest the batter in the fridge for an hour or so.

Place a pan over a medium to high heat until hot.

There is usually no need to grease the pan with extra oil as this batter already contains oil. The first one is often a bit of a flop (still delicious though), so keep going until you find your rhythm.

Cook about a ladle amount of batter at a time (about 1/3 cup to 1/2 cup amount) swirling the pan to make thin crêpes (I cook the batter for about 90 seconds on the first side, flip it over and then cook the other side for about 10 seconds).

When do you know when it is ready to flip over to cook the other side? The batter should change from glossy to a matt appearance and the edges should become crisp and start curling up).

Enjoy with cinnamon sugar and a squeeze of lemon or your favourite savoury filling.