OK, so I could have called this Swedish pancakes but crèpes Suèdoises sounds a lot more elegant, plus “pancakes” is sort of misleading. Swedish pancakes have very little to do with American pancakes. They don’t contain baking powder and thus they’re not “fluffy” like American pancakes. But they’re pretty similar to French crèpes, which is something I love. Whenever I go to Paris I make sure to get myself over to the area around Gare Monparnasse where you’ll find some of the best crèperies in France. But then, the best crèpes I’ve had was in Reims, I think…

Sorry, got sidetracked! Back to Swedish pancakes.

Traditionally, you eat them with jam and maybe a little whipped cream on Thursdays after having pea soup. When I grew up I would put butter on the hot pancakes and then just spread sugar on top of them, but these days I love them with savoury toppings of all kinds too.

The recipe for pancakes is my mother’s and she has this annoying habit of giving it per person and then, at the end, adding: “and an extra egg” when I’ve already written it down (I keep losing this recipe so I keep calling her to get her to repeat it to me), but I’m giving what she considers suitable for two people (including the extra egg). I would have to be two very hungry people because it makes about 15 pancakes, but who am I to say how much you should eat?

You need:

3 eggs

4 dl milk (1 2/3 cup)

2 dl all-purpose flour (3/4 cup)

pinch of salt

1 tbsp melted butter + butter to fry

1. Just whisk the eggs together and add the milk and finally the flour and salt.
2. Whisk away any lumps and let it rest. I normally only give it about 15 minutes.
3. Add the melted butter and you’re ready to go.

When you fry them, take care not to make them too thick. And since cold pancakes are no good, I always put a plate over a pot of simmering water and then put the pancakes on top of it. That way, they’ll stay warm and nice until they’re all done and it’s time too eat.

Now, like I said, savoury toppings are very nice – like, for example, poached spinach, Roquefort cheese and a little crème fraiche, bit this… This is beyond nice. Orange, chocolate and cream. It’s the perfect combination.

juice of 1 orange

2 tsp cointreau

whipped cream

chocolate sauce (recipe here)

1. Mix the orange juice and the cointreau.
2. Sprinkle it over the pancake (not all of it, just a tsp max).
3. Put some whipped cream on it and coil a little chocolate sauce over it.

Enjoy it as dessert or with a cup of coffee, hot chocolate or other hot beverage of your choice.