Pfannkuchen (Crepes) – Translated from German

Pfannkuchen; German for Crepes. Directly translated as Pan Cakes.

This recipe made approximately 12 crepes
This recipe made approximately 12 crepes

Soo good!  I started off this recipe thinking it was an upside down cake.  The ingredient list wasn’t adding up; so instead of translating Pfannkuchen (which came up as Pan Cake); I looked up Pfannkuchen recipes, and found similar recipes for Crepes.  The runny batter & no sugar suddenly made sense! haha.  So, we ate Crepes for lunch!  Delicious!  I have never made a Crepe before!

The crepe on the left was fried with Lard; on the right was fried with no oil in a non-stick pan. Both were great.
The crepe on the left was fried with Lard; on the right was fried with no oil in a non-stick pan. Both were great.

Here is a quick video on cooking crepes! I probably should have flipped it as the camera was starting to zoom in; but I was a bit distracted (audio not necessary). Click here for the video.

Grandma’s recipe calls for apples & sugar.  I added some sprinkles of cinnamon.  Any fruit, or even bacon would work with this recipe.  The crepes were delicious; easy to do; easy to flip; and just the right texture!

crepes

Here is Grandma’s recipe card:

pfannkuchen_recipeCard

Here is the printable recipe:

Plannkuchen – Crepes

  • 2 egg yolks
  • 2 cups milk
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 1/2 cups flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 2 egg whites; peaked
  • 60gr Lard (for pan frying – not necessary with a non-stick pan)
  1. Mix wet ingredients, slowly add flour 1/2 cup at a time, mix thoroughly; then add baking powder.
  2. In a separate small bowl, mix egg whites vigorously until peaked. (or close).
  3. Add to ingredients and stir.
Toppings:
  • 1 cup peeled and thinly sliced apples
  • 1/4 cup sugar for sprinkling
  1. Pour 1/3 cup batter into a non-stick frying pan. 
  2. Rotate the pan to obtain a larger & thinner crepe. 
  3. Wait 15-30 seconds until most of the batter appears cooked.  Flip. 
  4. Cook for 10 seconds more. 
  5. Remove and put on a plate; load with toppings, fold & sprinkle with sugar!  Delicious!

Makes approximately 12 6-7″ crepes

TIPS:  Do not let it cook too long or do not pour too thick of a crepe; the crepe will be chewy.
Topping alternatives: Any fresh fruit, Jam, Honey, or even bacon would all be delicious in these German Crepes.
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