By Donna Erickson
Signal Contributing Writer
As traditional recipes poured out of family cookbooks over the holidays, I went on a quest for the “best” Swedish pancake recipe from my friends and their Swedish-American friends. I soon discovered that there are probably as many recipes as there are Swedish grandmothers — and grandfathers.
Growing up, I recall that my Grandma Ruth, a second-generation Swede, actually didn’t work from a formal recipe. “A little bit of this, a lot of that,” she’d say to me as I stood on a footstool by her side, carefully pouring milk into a wide bowl. A lot of “that” usually meant the melted butter that would blend smooth as silk into the batter.
I later learned the basic techniques for flipping the pancakes from my dad. (Unlike the thicker American flapjack, a Swedish pancake is more like a French crepe, so flipping can be unwieldy at first.)
Happily, my family and I have continued the tradition of making Swedish pancakes topped with bright-red lingonberry preserves and a dusting of confectioners’ sugar. A satisfying, easy meal for a lazy Saturday morning breakfast, or a casual weeknight supper.
Here’s my easy “best” recipe. Stir it up for your family and make it your own with a little of this … maple syrup on top? Or that. How about some freshly sliced strawberries and a dollop of whipped cream?
Swedish Pancakes
- 1 cup flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups milk, or 1 1/2 cups milk and 1/2 cup half and half (optional)
- 3 eggs
- 1/4 cup butter, melted and cooled, plus butter for cooking.
In a medium bowl, combine all of the ingredients with a whisk until smooth. Do not overbeat.
For each pancake, lightly butter griddle or large skillet; heat over medium-high heat. When quite hot, pour 1/3 cup of the batter into skillet. Swirl it around so that it forms a thin 8- to 9-inch layer on the bottom of the pan.
Cook until the pancake is golden brown on the bottom (lift up a corner to check the color) and small bubbles are visible on the top. This happens quickly. Flip with a narrow spatula and lightly brown on the other side.
Set on a plate, and fold in half or quarters, if you wish. Serve hot with traditional lingonberry, strawberry or raspberry preserves. Top with a dusting of confectioners’ sugar. Makes 12 pancakes.
Donna Erickson’s award-winning series “Donna’s Day” is airing on public television nationwide. To find more of her creative family recipes and activities, visit www.donnasday.com and link to the Donna’s Day Facebook fan page. Her latest book is “Donna Erickson’s Fabulous Funstuff for Families.”
© 2020 Donna Erickson
Distributed by King Features Synd.
