Everyday Food Blog

That's one way to go about it.

A beloved annual tradition in my husband's family calls for Swedish pancakes to be served to the birthday boy or girl, preferably on a tray in bed, while the rest of the family members gather around, ooh'ing and aah'ing until the eater has had his fill. This year, for my oldest son's 7th, I set aside my mother-in-law's time-tested pancake recipe and secretly substituted the crêpes from our Jan/Feb issue.  I blended the ingredients the night before, which makes for a very smooth batter, and served these—as is the family custom—with all sorts of toppings: soft butter, powdered sugar, lime wedges, peanut butter, jam and marmalade, and maple syrup. They were a hit, especially for my toddler, who ate about 5 with his bare hands. My husband insisted on cooking the pancakes—er, crêpes—himself, and did so over medium-high heat, which gave them a pretty lacy pattern. I'm not sure what the official difference is between a Swedish pancake and a French crêpe (please enlighten me if you know!), but have no regrets about this little twist on tradition.

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1 The birthday boy, who likes his crepe rolled with peanut butter and maple syrup, thankyouverymuch.

2 Brushing a little butter on the skillet; nonstick pans are foolproof, but not essential.

3 Adding batter . . .

4 Swirling to coat the bottom of the pan

5 Cooking at a higher heat produces these lacy-looking pancakes.

6 The flip side.

Tags: birthday, Cooking for a Small Kitchen, crepe, Photo Galleries, swedish pancake
Posted by Carla Lalli Music on January 11, 2011 in Holidays, Sweet Spot