Pancakes are a baked treat known all over the world. They have been around for a very long time, and every country makes them with its own ingredients and look, so you can find a wonderful variety of pancake styles across the globe.
Pancakes use easy-to-find ingredients and are simple to make, which is why each country has developed its own version, shaped by culture, locally available ingredients and whether they are eaten as a savoury or sweet dish. Here we have picked nine distinctive pancake styles from around the world.
1. France
France's pancake, widely known as the crêpe, is made from wheat flour, eggs, sugar, milk and butter mixed into a single batter and poured into a pan to form a thin round sheet. Once it starts to cook, it can be filled with savoury or sweet fillings as you like. It is a pancake in the most traditional form, as it contains no baking powder, unlike those of other countries.
2. United States
American-style pancakes add one more ingredient to flour, milk, butter and sugar: baking powder, which makes them thicker and softer. In the US, pancakes are often eaten for breakfast with maple syrup and bacon, or as a dessert topped with sweet fruit or yoghurt instead.
3. Germany
The German pancake is called Palatschinke or Palaccinka. It is thin, much like the French crêpe, but the sheets are rolled up around fillings such as chocolate cream, whipped cream, jam, nuts or cinnamon.
4. Scotland
Scotland's pancake resembles the American one and is known as the drop scone, because the batter is dropped onto the surface of the pan. It is usually served with jam or cream as a snack.
5. Russia
Russian-style pancakes are called blini (or blinis). Traditionally made with buckwheat flour, they are served with sour cream or caviar. They are small and bite-sized and are often eaten as an appetiser with smoked salmon.
6. Morocco
Morocco's pancake, the msemen, looks clearly different from other countries' pancakes: it is square, made from wheat flour and semolina, and is served alongside spicy dishes and meat.
7. Australia
Australia's pancake is called the pikelet, made with milk, flour, eggs and a little icing sugar. A pikelet is a kind of crossover between a blini and a crumpet. Pikelets are small, like Scottish pancakes, and are served with jam, cream or butter.
8. Korea
The Korean pancake is called jeon and is made from egg, wheat flour, rice and spring onions. Unlike many pancakes that are topped or used as a wrap, jeon has fish, meat or vegetables mixed into the batter and cooked inside, making it a dish in its own right.
9. Indonesia
Indonesia's pancake is called kue serabi and is made from rice flour and coconut milk. It is cooked on one side only, without flipping. Usually eaten as a sweet, it can also be paired with cheese and meat as a savoury snack. Some recipes add pandan juice to give the pancakes a green colour.
Each of these countries has its own unique and fascinating take on the pancake. If you ever get the chance to visit them, we recommend trying the local pancake; it is sure to make your trip a little more special.
