John's Swedish Pancakes

Dedicated to Joy Huston

whites of 2 large eggs plus 1 whole large egg
3 heaping TLBS unbleached white flour
4 oz evaporated milk
10 – 12 oz low fat milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
butter

Preheat plattar pan, griddle or (iron) frying pan over medium heat.
Beat eggs until thoroughly mixed with a wisp or fork.
Slowly mix in flour until a creamy paste-like consistency forms.
Gradually stir in both evaporated and low-fat milk with vanilla extract.

This recipe can be made by replacing evaporated milk with14-16 oz of milk and a tsp of sugar. The sugar or naturally sweet evaporated milk helps the pancakes to brown up quickly. 3 whole medium eggs can be used instead of 1 large whole egg with whites of 2 eggs

When frying pan is hot coat bottom with butter. Re-coat for each batch. For authentic Swedish Pancakes batter should be ladled in small amounts equaling approximately 3” in diameter rounds into buttered pan. Small bubbles will form on the topside. When bubbles break and look like holes, it is time to flip the pancake. It takes slightly less time to fry the other side because the pancake has already started to cook through to the top. To save time make pan-size pancakes by tipping and rotating the pan so batter thinly covers the bottom. Large pancakes are essentially the equivalent of crepes. Keep pancakes warm in a 200 degree F oven on a serving dish while frying the other batches.

Traditional Swedish Pancakes are made in a “plattar” pan, known in Rhode Island as a Johnny Cake pan. It has 7 round indentations, one in center with six surrounding. If you do not own a plattar pan, a large iron frying pan or griddle work fine. Plattar literally means flat.

Topping suggestions:
Juice of fresh cut lemon wedges with powdered confectionery sugar.
Lingonberry jam.
Maple syrup.

©Wilma Carolyn Johnson Short


NOTES: This recipe was handed down from my grandmother who emigrated from Hudiksvall, Sweden to the US in 1911. As a child I spent time in summer at her home in RI. Often my alarm clock would be the sweet warm smell of pancakes wafting up the stairs from the kitchen. Sometimes I would rise early enough to watch her mixing the batter. The way I learned to make pancakes was by observing. I knew the basic ingredients were eggs, flour, and milk and a little sugar. I played around with these ingredients until I was satisfied with my proportions and later dictated my approximate measurements to John, who has perfected his own version of the recipe. My grandmother's pancakes were always made with farm fresh eggs from the chickens outback that my grandfather raised. My grandmother sometimes baked the batter in a cake pan and served it with Lingonberry and whipped cream for a special evening meal.