Poffertjes – Traditional Dutch mini-pancakes

Every time we go to Holland, we look forward to stopping in at one of those wonderful poffertjes establishments for those divine little pancakes which are smothered in butter and powdered sugar. In winter, this is an especially wonderful warm and filling treat.
The poffertjes are fried on special HUGE pans with tens of indentations into which the batter is poured. I am always amazed at the speed with which the experienced poffertjes-cook flips them over.

Many years ago I bought a special poffertjes pan in Holland – not the huge poffertjes grill that you see in the special poffertjes establishments, but one that is suitable for home use.
It has the special indentations, and a ring that raises it from direct contact with the flame. I also bought the special squeeze-bottle into which the batter is poured so that it can be squeezed out easily into the indentations, and fried.

The pancakes are made using a combination of buckwheat flour, white flour. yeast, eggs, vanilla extract, milk, salt. The buckwheat flour and the yeast lend a special flavor to these pancakes.

These baby pancakes are served with a generous sprinkling (smothering…) of powdered sugar and butter.
They are DIVINE!

Ingredients:

• 10 grams (1/3 oz) dried yeast
• 1 1/2 cups lukewarm milk
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup buckwheat flour
• 1 cup all purpose white flour
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation:

1. Dissolve the yeast in lukewarm milk
2. Beat in eggs.
3. Gradually, with whisk, beat in buckwheat flour, all purpose white flour, salt, sugar, and vanilla.
4. Let batter “rest” for about an hour, or until bubbly (you can refrigerate it overnight, if you want).
5. For easy preparation, pour batter carefully into a plastic squeeze bottle.
6. Put special poffertjes pan, or any other pan with small round indentations, on medium flame, and brush indentations with melted butter.
7. When butter is hot, quickly squeeze out batter into the indentations.
8. Fry on one side, and carefully with tines of a fork (in Holland they use a special two-prong wooden fork for the purpose), turn pancakes over and fry on second side, till golden brown.
9. Serve on warm plates, with butter, and a generous sprinkling of powdered sugar.