Pancake: Pönnukökur - Traditional Icelandic and Manitoba Style

It’s been a while since I posted. 

I’ve missed you, too.

We’ve been busy travelling and checking items off our bucket lists.

When you’re turning 70 - if you’re very lucky - that becomes the new norm.

We find travel to be wonderful, and I hope you’ve been having a good summer filled with great experiences, too.

I notice that the recipe for Hoito Restaurant’s Finnish Pancakes is one of  last week's top posts.

I posted that recipe in June, 2015, after we had been in Thunder Bay.

It was one of our favourite memories of our trip.

Who doesn’t love pancakes in all their many forms, flavours, textures, with all their toppings and accompaniments?

Well, the Icelandics pride themselves on Pönnukökur, their pancakes.

During the last evening of our trip to Iceland, after a delicious meal in a Reykjavík restaurant, we had a chance to sample Pönnukökur for dessert.

Our guide, Hildur, said her grandmother’s recipe was much better.

That’s saying something - everyone raved about the Pönnukökur we were enjoying.

Still, I do wonder about Grandma’s recipe. Don’t you?

In Manitoba we have a strong connection to the Scandinavian countries.

During Folklorama we have a Scandinavian Pavilion which gives a nod to each country:

Monday: Danish - sausages and tart

Tuesday: Finland - Finnish meat pies, carrot casserole and cookies

Wednesday: Iceland - Fish chowder and pönnukökur 

Thursday: Norway - Lamb Stew and krumkake

Friday: Sweden - Fish and cheese pie and rosettes

Sunday & Saturday: Roast Pork 

Each day’s menu also included meatballs, chicken and asparagus tart, cheese platter, and all the regular desserts – vinarterta, rice pudding, compote.

You never leave hungry when you eat with a Scandinavian - or a Manitoban!

Hints:

Pönnukökur is usually cooked on a special Icelandic pancake pan, which is traditionally never washed or rinsed, not even with water.

The pancakes should be thin. A proper pancake is only about a millimeter thick! 

They are usually served rolled up with sugar (granulated or brown sugar and icing sugar) and rolled up, or filled with jam, folded into quarters and serve with whipped cream.

Icelandic cafés also serve them with ice cream. 

You can also stack them on a plate, sprinkling some sugar on top of each pancake.

They are good either warm or cold.

You can also bake the Manitoba Pönnukökur.

Lightly grease a griddle with butter and preheat.

Remove from heat and pour about 1/5 cup batter on it and bake.

Regrease pan lightly with butter for each pancake.

The Scandinavian Pavilions also served Janson’s Temptation and Kjotkaker.

Enjoy!!

                        Pönnukökur

In a bowl, whisk together  until thoroughly combined

3 Cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

Melt in a small pot

1/2 Cup butter

Place in a large bowl

8 eggs

Whisk eggs until well beaten, then whisk in

1 Cup sour cream

1 teaspoon vanilla 

Whisk the flour mixture into the sour cream mixture.

Stir in

4 Cups milk

the melted butter

Stir until you have a thin but smooth batter. 

Heat griddle to 350º - 400º F

Melt in griddle

1/2 teaspoon butter 

Heat over medium heat until the butter is fragrant.

Pour in enough batter to coat the skillet in a thin layer.

Allow to cook until the bottom is lightly browned, then turn the pancake over to brown the other side.

Remove to warm plates and keep warm.

Repeat, re-buttering pan now and then, until all of the batter is gone.

Fill each pönnukökur with brown sugar and icing sugar, and roll up.

                        Manitoba Style Pönnukökur

Makes about 2 dozen.

Sift together

1 1/2 Cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Place in a large bowl

2 eggs

Beat.

Add 

1/3 Cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 Cup sour cream or buttermilk

Stir together.

Add sifted dry ingredients.

Mix under smooth.

Gradually stir in

2 Cups milk

Heat griddle to 350º - 400º F

Melt in griddle

1/2 teaspoon butter 

Add batter a half ladle at a time, making thin circles. 

Let brown on one side.

When bubbles appear on top, flip the pancake over. 

The colour should be golden brown on top and medium brown on bottom.  

Remove to warm plates and keep warm.

Repeat, re-buttering pan, until all of the batter is gone.

Serve hot spread with white or brown sugar and rolled up.

Or serve with blueberries and whipped cream.

Kristine’s Amma's Vinarterta (Icelandic torte)

I received a request for a Vinarterta recipe.

It’s not a Maltese recipe, but an Icelandic one.

No problem.

Manitoba is home to a large Icelandic community, centred in Gimli.

Gimli is just a few miles north of Winnipeg.

The annual Icelandic festival, Islendingadagurinn, is great fun for the whole family.

As it was for Ma in New York in the 50s, I’ve learned a few recipes from my neighbours here in Winnipeg over the years.

A few very good recipes I’m happy to share with you.

Thanks to Kristine, I have a very good Vinarterta recipe.

Vinarterta is a torte that is served during special occasions, particularly at Christmas, weddings and Icelandic festivals.

Icelandic cooks have a few things in common with Maltese cooks.

It seems there are variations for most recipes.

Prune is the standard filling for Vinarterta.

But some folks use a mixture of prunes and dates.

Cardamom is traditional, but some prefer cinnamon or ginger.

Some like to add a butter cream icing or marzipan.

Most agree it should be served with good strong Icelandic coffee.

Oh, Amma is Icelandic for Grandma.

Hints:

Roll the dough out directly on the cookie sheet, then cut the circle or square using an inverted plate or pan.

That way you don’t have to lift the layers and they’ll keep their shape.

You must age the cake after it has been assembled.

You can age it in a covered container for three days to a week in the fridge.

Or you can wrap it in a dry cloth so the cake will mellow.

Still, that’s less time to age than a regular fruitcake.

                        Vinarterta

Filling

Place in a large pot

1 pound pitted prunes

Add enough water to cover.

Cook the prunes until tender. 

Cool.

Process the prunes in a blender and add

1/2 Cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon allspice

Cookie Layers

This recipe will make 6 or 7 layers, depending on how thinly they are rolled out.

In a medium bowl combine

4 Cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

Pinch of salt

In a large mixer bowl, beat at medium speed

1 Cup butter

1 1/2 Cups sugar

Add

2 large eggs

Beat well.

Add 

1 teaspoon cardamom

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 Tablespoons cream

Add the flour mixture, stirring just enough to blend.

Divide the dough into six or seven portions. 

Roll out the portions of the dough on a cookie sheet. 

Cut an 8 inch round or square using a plate or pan as a guide. 

Bake at 350º F for 8 to 10 minutes to a delicate light brown. 

Layers should be cooled completely before filling with cooled prune mixture.

Spread the filling on the cookie layers.

Allow the cake to age.