Icelandic Pancakes (Pönnukökur með þeyttum rjóma)

For a special treat, enjoy this traditional recipe for Pönnukökur með þeyttum rjóma. It is basically a dessert crêpe filled with jam and whipped cream. My Icelandic friend, Margrét, kindly shared this recipe long ago in Keflavík. It was one of the delightful “treasures” I brought home with me.

Ingredients:

1 ½ cups flour

2 Tablespoons butter (melted)

½ tsp. baking powder

¼ tsp baking soda

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

Milk  (enough to make mixture very soupy)

Preserves, jelly, or jam (strawberry especially good but any are fine)

Whipped cream

Powdered Sugar (Optional)

Also Needed:

Flat crêpe pan

Directions:

1. Beat together flour, melted butter, baking powder, baking soda, eggs and vanilla and add enough milk to make mixture very soupy.
2. Bake crêpes until golden brown on a hot crêpe pan
• Pour small amount of batter onto hot pan; tilt pan as needed so batter will cover pan’s surface. Hint: If you’ve ladled too much onto the pan, not to worry. Simply pour off extra batter back into batter bowl. These should be paper thin.
• Turn over when golden brown (a long spatula is very useful for this). Cook briefly then transfer to plate. Yields about 8 crepes.
3. Spread crêpe with one tablespoon preserves, jam, or jelly and 1-2 tablespoons whipped cream.
4. Fold into triangles.
5. Dust with powdered sugar just before serving. (Optional)

Serve with afternoon coffee/tea or as a dessert.

VIDEO:  Enjoy this video demonstration for making pönnukökur. Margrét is utterly delightful. Her basic recipe is slightly different, using 2 cups of flour and a bit more baking powder and soda, and makes 10 pancakes with that amount. She also demonstrates a variation, sprinkling the pancake with sugar and rolling them up. Delicious however you serve them.

http://vimeo.com/18118408