Yeast, milk, and whipped egg whites transform ordinary pancake batter into light, delicate, and fluffy pancakes that don’t tear. The leavened base needs a bit more time, but the resulting softness and airy texture are well worth the short wait.
This recipe can be made from commonly available ingredients. The key is to gently fold in the whipped egg whites with a spatula and let the finished batter rest for at least 15 minutes. You can serve the pancakes plain or fill them with jam, quark, Nutella, sour cream, whipped cream, or fresh fruit according to your taste.
What You’ll Need
For the batter:
- 250 g plain flour,
- 5 dl milk,
- 15 g fresh yeast,
- 2 eggs,
- 1 teaspoon sugar,
- a pinch of salt,
- oil for frying.
For filling and serving:
- jam to taste,
- quark to taste,
- Nutella to taste,
- sour cream to taste,
- whipped cream to taste,
- fresh fruit to taste,
- powdered sugar to taste.
The original recipe does not specify the exact amount of oil or serving ingredients, so adjust them according to the number of pancakes and your chosen filling.
Step-by-Step Preparation:
1. Preparing the yeast: Measure out 1 dl of milk from the total amount and warm it until lukewarm. Crumble in 15 g of yeast, add a teaspoon of sugar, and mix well to activate the yeast.
2. Separating the eggs: Carefully separate the eggs into yolks and whites. Place the whites in a clean bowl, add a pinch of salt, and whisk until stiff peaks form. This will later give the pancakes their characteristic lightness and fluffiness.
3. Preparing the batter base: Add the yeast mixture to the yolks. Gradually pour in the remaining milk and sift in 250 g of plain flour. Mix thoroughly until you have a smooth, lump-free pancake batter.
4. Folding in the egg whites: Gently fold the whipped egg whites into the prepared batter using a spatula. Do not mix vigorously or for too long, so the air incorporated during whipping stays in the batter and the pancakes remain light.
5. Letting the batter rest: Let the finished batter rest for 15 minutes. During this time, the yeast activates and the batter becomes even smoother. If you have more time, you can let it rise a bit longer as originally recommended for even fluffier pancakes.
6. Heating the pan: Heat a little oil in a pan. If you use a good non-stick pan, you can get by with a minimal amount of fat and the finished pancakes won’t be unnecessarily greasy.
7. Frying the pancakes: Pour the batter in portions onto the moderately heated pan and fry thin pancakes on both sides for about 2 minutes. The gentle heat ensures they cook through, stay fluffy, and turn golden brown.
8. Serving: Fill the finished pancakes with jam, quark, or Nutella, or simply sprinkle with powdered sugar. Top with sour cream, whipped cream, or fresh fruit as desired and serve while still warm.
Why Fold in the Egg Whites with a Spatula
The whipped egg whites are essential for the delicate, light texture of these pancakes. That’s why you shouldn’t pour them in or beat them vigorously, but gently fold them in with a spatula. This keeps as much air in the batter as possible, so the pancakes won’t be heavy or rubbery.
How to Fry Pancakes with Minimal Oil
Heat the pan over a moderate temperature and brush it with just a little oil. Too high a temperature would quickly brown the pancakes on the surface, but they might not cook through inside. A non-stick pan also helps reduce the amount of fat needed.
Tip for a Quark Filling
For the Hungarian version, Túrós palacsinta, you can prepare a filling from smooth quark, vanilla sugar, lemon zest, and raisins soaked in rum. The filled pancakes can also be briefly baked in the oven topped with sour cream.
If you’d like to try other combinations, pair jam with quark or fresh fruit with Nutella. You can also leave the pancakes unfilled and simply dust them lightly with powdered sugar.
Enjoy your meal!
