4 Perfect Pancakes To Satisfy Every Craving

So you had too much whiskey and green beer, eh? No judgement: I enjoy a bit of whiskey myself being of Welsh decent, but I’m going to go out on a limb and assume you need a hang over cure.  So, imagine if pancakes and english muffins had a baby.  Soft, fluffy, and warm, but also filled with nooks and crannies. It’s really a fantastic situation.  Slather on as much butter and maple syrup as humanly possible, and you’ll be feeling like yourself in no time.

Well, I guess these aren’t really babies, as much as Big Babies, and not Dutch, so much asDeutsch, and honestly, maybe we should just call them North Western Pfannkuchen and call it a day.  

Dutch Babies come from the Pennsylvania Dutch tradition, meaning, they’re German in origin, and were originally served in muffin tins, much like popovers.  But when a small diner owner in Seattle served them individually in a large cast iron pan instead, people reached for the syrup and haven’t looked back.

The fanciest cake of them all! Or that’s how it looks, right? The beauty of this dessert is that if you know how to make pancakes, you can make a stunning finish to a meal.  I layered mine with salted caramel sauce, mascarpone cheese, and homemade cinnamon pear puree, but any of your favorite fillings will do.  Imagine how delicious nutella, smashed bananas, and finely chopped walnuts would be, or a simple crepe cake filled with whipped cream, coffee syrup, and shaved chocolate? There are so many directions to take this versatile, impressive looking cake, so have fun with it!

For me, clafoutis is found at the cross section of “sexy” and “homey.” Like a men’s button down, or bed head, or make up from the night before that miraculously smudges in a cool, pretty way.  It’s effortless and alluring and a breakfast carb.

Clafoutis is basically a French pancake baked in a pan, studded with ripe, juicy fruit. Cherry is the classic combination, but we’re a little ways away from cherry season, so plump mission figs seemed like the next best thing. I love this as a breakfast dish, because not only is it dynamite with coffee, it doesn’t require standing over a stove.  You pop it in the oven, catch up on reading, and then breakfast is served. Simple, not too sweet, and so appealing.