Dutch Pancakes

A pannekoek (pronounced: pah-nuh-cook) (plural pannekoeken) or pannenkoek (new Dutch spelling) is a Dutch pancake. Pannenkoeken are usually larger and thinner than American or Scottish pancakes. They may incorporate slices of smoked bacon, apples or other fruits, stem ginger, cheese, or raisins. Plain ones are often eaten with stroop and powdered sugar. The ingredients are flour, milk, and eggs. Beer may also be added to the mixture in order to give it a better flavour, but most of all it helps the batter rise. In Dutch pancake restaurants many more toppings can be ordered with them, including eggs, pear, or even pineapple, and they are often topped with Dutch stroop (sugar beet syrup), a dark, thick syrup common in the Netherlands. The closest taste equivalent to this syrup in the U.S. is sorghum syrup. In the Netherlands, a pannenkoek naturel in a pannenkoekenhuis is a plain pancake which one can top with as much powdered sugar or stroop as one desires from the condiments standing on the table.