Poffertjes

Poffertjes

Poffertjes served with butter and powdered sugar.
Type	Pancake-like
Course	Dinner, snack, dessert
Place of origin	Netherlands
Region or state	Northwestern Europe
Serving temperature	Warm or hot
Main ingredients	Batter (yeast, flour)

Poffertjes (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈpɔfərcəs] (listen)) are a traditional Dutch batter treat. Resembling small, fluffy pancakes, they are made with yeast and buckwheat flour.

Typically, poffertjes are a sweet treat, served with powdered sugar and butter, and sometimes syrup or advocaat. However, there is also a savoury variant with gouda cheese.

History

Poffertjes, also known as 'brothers', originated from a Catholic tradition. In the churches in the south of the Netherlands, sacramental hosts were used during the communion ceremony. Because the host was very dry, the brothers started experimenting with different recipes. From these culinary experiments the poffertjes that we know today have emerged. The south of the present-day Netherlands was traditionally Catholic, so the traditions deviated from the Protestant north. Because the hosts are part of a Catholic tradition, it is suspected that the poffertjes were created in the provinces of Limburg or North Brabant.

Servings

Poffertjes are a festive holiday treat in the Netherlands, popular at both summer festivals and Christmas markets. Mainly in the winter season temporary stands selling poffertjes are quite popular and sell portions containing one or two dozen. Usually the cook prepares them fresh for the customer. They are sold on a small cardboard (sometimes plastic) plate and come with a small disposable fork the size of a pastry fork. Poffertjes are not difficult to prepare, but a special cast iron pan or copper pan (also available in aluminium with Teflon coating) with several shallow indentations in the bottom is required.

Almost all Dutch supermarkets (like Albert Heijn, Lidl & Jumbo) sell ready-made poffertjes that only need to be microwaved, and are sold complete with a sachet of powdered sugar and a small serving of butter. Supermarkets also stock mixes for poffertjes, to which only eggs and milk need to be added. Usually they contain some kind of leavening agent like baking powder.

Poffertjes can also be served with other sweet garnishes, such as syrup, whipped cream or strawberries, for added flavour.

Poffertjes are also known in Indonesian cuisine through its historical ties as the former Dutch colony. Poffertjes are also regularly found on German Christmas markets.

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  The special poffertjespan

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  Poffertjes preparation in Semarang

Similar dishes

Poffertjes are thought to be related to and to have influenced the Indonesian kue cubit. Poffertjes have some similarities with Indian paniyaram and Chinese egg waffles, but differ in many aspects. The Danish Æbleskiver pancakes are quite similar.

See also

• Egg waffle – Small spherical pancakes, a similar Chinese dish
• Kuzhi paniyaram, a similar dish from the south of India that comes in sweet and savory varieties
• Serabi – Indonesian type of pancake, a similar dish utilizing coconuts found in Thailand and Indonesia.
• Takoyaki – Japanese appetizer, a similar savory Japanese dish filled with diced octopus
• List of pancakes

External links

• The Dutch Table - Poffertjes