Wait - people in England put lemon juice on pancakes?!?!

[ktgrok]

In a last minute rush I am looking for some videos to explain Shrove Tuesday/Mardi Gras to my kids (again....one day it will sink in, right?) and just saw multiple videos about pancake toppings...including lemon juice and sugar! I have NEVER heard of that - but I have to admit, it sounds pretty yummy!

Is that just a thing in England, or all of the UK, or other places? Have I been living under a rock? 

[Carrie12345]

That does not sound all that great to me, but I only recently discovered that the UK apparently doesn’t have the amount of practice with pancakes that we do in the US, so I am not about to take their pancake suggestions. 😉 

[egao_gakari]

I have never heard of this. I don't think my kiddos would go for it. But I would give it a try. Maybe I will tonight for Pancake Day 🙂 

[LMD]

It's a thing here in Aus too, though I admit it's been many years since I've done it! You put a layer of sugar then squeeze juice on top and it soaks in a bit. You get quite a pleasant sweet and tart flavour!

[Laura Corin]

Yes. Lemon juice and sugar. But our pancakes are crepes, so you put the topping on then roll them up. I'll be doing that for Shrove Tuesday today.

Eta I think that it's the whole of the UK

Edited February 16, 2021 by Laura Corin

[marbel]

 I'll sometimes sprinkle a bit of lemon juice and some powdered sugar on pancakes as a change from maple or other syrup. I like it - it tastes lighter and fresher than syrup. 

 

[Drama Llama]

I have never had lemon and sugar on a American style pancake, although to be honest I don't know why, because lemon and powdered sugar on a beaver tail (The Canadian snack, not the actual tail of the actual animal), or a crepe, or a Dutch Baby is delicious.  

Maybe tonight, I'll offer that as a choice for our pancake supper. 

[Kebo]

That's what we put on Dutch baby (alo known as Puff or German) pancakes and it's delicious.  When I was a kid I preferred to eat my regular pancakes with powdered sugar instead of maple syrup.  It was very good that way!

[Amira]

That's what we're having for dinner tonight.  It's delicious. We had lemon and sugar on our aebleskivers last week too, and it's our usual topping for German pancakes.

Edited February 16, 2021 by Amira

[catz]

That doesn’t sound that weird to me but I tend not to like traditional toppings on my pancakes or waffles.  I prefer tart to sweet.   
 

if we are going to talk about exotic pancakes, who has made Japanese soufflé pancakes?   Is it a pain?  This is on my to do list to try!

https://www.lecremedelacrumb.com/japanese-souffle-pancakes/

Edited February 16, 2021 by FuzzyCatz

[Lecka]

I think I have seen lemon curd available as a topping for pancakes in the United States.  

[Selkie]

Lemon zest or orange zest in the batter is also delicious.

[J-rap]

We sometimes use powdered sugar with a squirt of lemon juice, and it's so good!  I don't usually do that with very traditional pancakes, but for any pancake that's a little different -- Swedish pancakes, Dutch pancakes, crepes, aebleskivers, even French toast -- it somehow tastes extra good!

[Danae]

12 minutes ago, FuzzyCatz said:

That doesn’t sound that weird to me but I tend not to like traditional toppings on my pancakes or waffles.  I prefer tart to sweet.   
 

if we are going to talk about exotic pancakes, who has made Japanese soufflé pancakes?   Is it a pain?  This is on my to do list to try!

https://www.lecremedelacrumb.com/japanese-souffle-pancakes/

I have.  I didn’t think it was a pain, but a do a lot of futzy cooking so YMMV.  My kid who doesn’t like eggs thought they tasted too eggy.  

[cintinative]

49 minutes ago, Laura Corin said:

Yes. Lemon juice and sugar. But our pancakes are crepes, so you put the topping on then roll them up. I'll be doing that for Shrove Tuesday today.

Eta I think that it's the whole of the UK

My husband makes crepes and puts lemon juice and sugar on them . 😃

[ktgrok]

Now I will have to see if the Shipt shopper will add lemons to my order!

 

[I talk to the trees]

Ok, let’s have a show of hands. Who besides me now has a hankering for lemon-sugar pancakes?  

[ktgrok]

2 minutes ago, I talk to the trees said:

Ok, let’s have a show of hands. Who besides me now has a hankering for lemon-sugar pancakes?  

Um, me? I did successfully add a lemon to my order for delivery today! I LOVE lemon cakes, lemon cookies, lemonade, lemon curd, etc so sounds amazing! And if I wasn't watching my calories I'd be tempted to create a spin off version for Florida - key lime pancakes!!!!  Someday!

Also, @Laura Corin,what kind of sugar does one use? I know y'all have different types than us, but in general is it the powdery stuff or the regular granular kind? Just so I get it right, lol. 

[Laura Corin]

2 minutes ago, ktgrok said:

 

Also, @Laura Corin,what kind of sugar does one use? I know y'all have different types than us, but in general is it the powdery stuff or the regular granular kind? Just so I get it right, lol. 

I think I grew up with granular sugar but now I prefer icing sugar, which is powdery.

[I talk to the trees]

1 minute ago, ktgrok said:

Um, me? I did successfully add a lemon to my order for delivery today! I LOVE lemon cakes, lemon cookies, lemonade, lemon curd, etc so sounds amazing! And if I wasn't watching my calories I'd be tempted to create a spin off version for Florida - key lime pancakes!!!! 

An excellent idea! I’m thinking I need to try a little of each! 

[Laura Corin]

8 minutes ago, I talk to the trees said:

Ok, let’s have a show of hands. Who besides me now has a hankering for lemon-sugar pancakes?  

Counting down: about four hours from now.  Pan-fried haddock with green veg; lots of pancakes with lemon and sugar.

[Danae]

11 minutes ago, I talk to the trees said:

Ok, let’s have a show of hands. Who besides me now has a hankering for lemon-sugar pancakes?  

I read this thread right before making breakfast, so I added lemon zest and juice to my already planned pancake batter. Not quite the same as using it as a topping, but tasty.

[happi duck]

Now I'm wondering if I have crepe/pancake ingredients!

[ktgrok]

11 minutes ago, Laura Corin said:

Counting down: about four hours from now.  Pan-fried haddock with green veg; lots of pancakes with lemon and sugar.

Wait - fried fish and pancakes? The lemon juice thing was surprising, but okay. But fish with pancakes? That may be a step too far! Especially if it isn't deep fried, I could almost see that with a sweet side since we do hush puppies and corn fritters with those and those can be sweetish. (although...I do LOVE fish)

[horsellian]

9 minutes ago, ktgrok said:

Wait - fried fish and pancakes? The lemon juice thing was surprising, but okay. But fish with pancakes? That may be a step too far!

I think that's two separate courses for dinner - fish and veg followed by pancakes!

[I talk to the trees]

May I please hijack the thread for a moment? 
 

@ktgrok Are we past the date when you can get citrus crates delivered from FL? We used to get boxes with all sorts of citrus fruits as a Christmas gift from our snowbird neighbors. This thread has made me want to order something similar. Citrus from the supermarket can be hit or miss. It may look pretty, but taste bland. Do you know of any good sellers/shippers? 

[Matryoshka]

1 hour ago, Amira said:

That's what we're having for dinner tonight.  It's delicious. We had lemon and sugar on our aebleskivers last week too, and it's our usual topping for German pancakes.

Okay, when people say "German pancakes" what does that mean?  I've lived in Germany and grew up with the family Pfannekuchen recipe, but even in Germany there are mutliple kinds, and I'm not convinced that what Americans are classifying under that title is any more similar to any of them than "German chocolate cake" for which there is not even a similar analog in Germany.  Like, nothing remotely similar.

The Pfannekuchen my family made are pretty much crepes and get rolled up with jam inside, although you can of course do other crepe-y things with them.  Another relative of mine used to make more puffy pancakes with sliced potatoes on one side - cook the sliced potatoes and pour the batter over, then flip.  Savory, of course.  The family I lived with there made puffier pancakes that were served for dinner with savory things like chives and ham, or with fruit and Quark (similar to yogurt).   But what is a "German pancake"?  (Someone said it's the same as a "Dutch Baby"? - I also don't know what that is!!)  Or an aebleskiver, but that's different, yes (Scandinavian?)

[egao_gakari]

15 minutes ago, Matryoshka said:

Okay, when people say "German pancakes" what does that mean?  I've lived in Germany and grew up with the family Pfannekuchen recipe, but even in Germany there are mutliple kinds, and I'm not convinced that what Americans are classifying under that title is any more similar to any of them than "German chocolate cake" for which there is not even a similar analog in Germany.  Like, nothing remotely similar.

The Pfannekuchen my family made are pretty much crepes and get rolled up with jam inside, although you can of course do other crepe-y things with them.  Another relative of mine used to make more puffy pancakes with sliced potatoes on one side - cook the sliced potatoes and pour the batter over, then flip.  Savory, of course.  The family I lived with there made puffier pancakes that were served for dinner with savory things like chives and ham, or with fruit and Quark (similar to yogurt).   But what is a "German pancake"?  (Someone said it's the same as a "Dutch Baby"? - I also don't know what that is!!)  Or an aebleskiver, but that's different, yes (Scandinavian?)

Heh, I have encountered two very different things by that name here--in my childhood, I had a weekly German lesson with a native Austrian, and we made what she called German pancakes (I think maybe the recipe she gave us said Pfannekuchen at the top but I'm not positive). They were a thin, crepey batter cooked in a LOT of butter and with confectioners' sugar shaken on top. Then, as a teen, I had a friend whose mom was from Minnesota, and she made what she called German Apple Pancake (or Dutch Apple Pancake?) which was a single cake cooked in the oven in a cast-iron pan. It was puffy at the edges, had cinnamon apples mixed in, and you served slices of it like a cake or a pie. Both were pretty tasty but I have no idea whether either of them were remotely authentic 😄 

[Laura Corin]

1 hour ago, ktgrok said:

Wait - fried fish and pancakes? The lemon juice thing was surprising, but okay. But fish with pancakes? That may be a step too far! Especially if it isn't deep fried, I could almost see that with a sweet side since we do hush puppies and corn fritters with those and those can be sweetish. (although...I do LOVE fish)

Sorry - two different courses.  Light first course, then...... pancakes!

[theelfqueen]

43 minutes ago, Matryoshka said:

.... any more similar to any of them than "German chocolate cake" for which there is not even a similar analog in Germany.  

German chocolate cake is not a reference to the country but to the baker who originated the recipe, whose name was "German."

[wathe]

I grew up with lemon juice and sugar on pancakes.    Grandmother immigrated from England, and that food tradition got passed down.  My mother still will NOT eat maple syrup on a pancake.   (Well, really, we had dueling lemon juice vs maple syrup - both were on the table, and there was much friendly family debate about which was any good and which was disgusting)

[catz]

I've also heard what some people call a German Pancake as a Dutch baby.  But also a Pannenkoeken gets thrown around.  We make Dutch Baby pancakes regularly too - super easy and family pleasing, good with fruit.  

https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/melissa-darabian/vanilla-dutch-baby-puffed-pancake-recipe2-1960690

Digging around, it seems like there is some crossing of these terms to different more crepe like dishes?  Pannenkoeken and a Dutch baby (which I've heard called a German pancake) are Dutch in origin I believe.  

Edited February 16, 2021 by FuzzyCatz

[73349]

We had pancakes with lemon curd Sunday, and DS is having the leftovers today.

I would think apples and honey would be a tradition, as neither lemons nor maple syrup would have been easy to get in northern Europe when something pancake-like became popular.

[Loowit]

I did not grow up with putting lemon and powdered sugar on pancakes, but was introduced to it by my DH and his family.  They put it on German pancakes, also known as Dutch babies.  I have seen them served that way at a few breakfast restaurants.

My DH grew up putting butter and granulated sugar on regular (typical American?) pancakes, then roll them up and eat them.  My kids picked this up from him.  I don't like them that way, I prefer syrup or jam or sometimes wrapping them around sausage links or bacon.

[TravelingChris]

I put jam on my pancakes

 

[regentrude]

1 hour ago, Matryoshka said:

Okay, when people say "German pancakes" what does that mean?  I've lived in Germany and grew up with the family Pfannekuchen recipe, but even in Germany there are mutliple kinds, and I'm not convinced that what Americans are classifying under that title is any more similar to any of them than "German chocolate cake" for which there is not even a similar analog in Germany.  Like, nothing remotely similar.

German pancakes are Dutch babies. No idea why they're called German, since I have never even heard of those in Germany.

To confuse matters more, in parts of Germany the term "Pfannkuchen"  refers to a donut without a hole, filled with jam and covered in sugar - which is the traditional Mardu Gras baked good in my home state. Also called "Krapfen in some states".

"German chocolate cake" is actually not named after the country, but after a  guy called Samuel German. The coconut should trip anybody off that it can't be an original German thing.

[Bootsie]

There is a local restaurant that specializes in Dutch babies with lemon and powdered sugar.

Kaisershmarn is another great variation in cold weather--thin, shredded pancakes with applesauce

[Jean in Newcastle]

According to Google (which I used to confirm what I had thought before I typed it) German/ Dutch pancakes are a reference to Pennsylvania Deutch aka Pennsylvania Dutch communities in the US from the 17th and 18th century.   And to confuse things even further (and I didn't know this part until Google) the Dutch baby was actually invented in Seattle Washington. 

[Amira]

So, my brother-in-law who lived in Switzerland for a couple of years was the one who taught me how to make German pancakes. I just emailed him to ask him exactly where he got his recipe and what they’re called in German because I have wondered that for years but never remember to ask since I rarely get to see him in person.  For the record, the German pancakes my BIL makes are like Dutch babies.  We also made them when I was growing up and called them volcano pancakes.

[LuvToRead]

I think lemon and powdered sugar sounds delicious on a pancake!!  I will have to try this sometime.  I love fruit of all kinds on pancakes!  I used to make Dutch Babies a lot, but haven't in a while.  

[Spy Car]

5 hours ago, ktgrok said:

In a last minute rush I am looking for some videos to explain Shrove Tuesday/Mardi Gras to my kids (again....one day it will sink in, right?) and just saw multiple videos about pancake toppings...including lemon juice and sugar! I have NEVER heard of that - but I have to admit, it sounds pretty yummy!

Is that just a thing in England, or all of the UK, or other places? Have I been living under a rock? 

I do this commonly when I make Dutch Babies (aka Popovers).

I generally reserve Dutch Babies for special days (holidays, birthdays, etc) and sometimes serve them with maple syrup.

But using powdered sugar (aka confectioner's sugar) to dust the Dutch Babies first (never granulated sugar) "seals" up the pancakes and the sweet/sour topping from a squeeze of lemon is really good.

Bill

Edited February 16, 2021 by Spy Car

[Matryoshka]

2 hours ago, theelfqueen said:

German chocolate cake is not a reference to the country but to the baker who originated the recipe, whose name was "German."

LOL, that makes so much more sense now!!! 😂

[Matryoshka]

1 hour ago, regentrude said:

German pancakes are Dutch babies. No idea why they're called German, since I have never even heard of those in Germany.

To confuse matters more, in parts of Germany the term "Pfannkuchen"  refers to a donut without a hole, filled with jam and covered in sugar - which is the traditional Mardu Gras baked good in my home state. Also called "Krapfen in some states".

Is the donuty-type of Pfannkuchen anything like a Berliner??

There are so many regional food words in German.  What here are mostly called Latkes are called Reibekuchen in the part of German my family was from, but I think I've also heard Kartoffelpuffer.  There are likely more words in parts of Germany I haven't been too.  And the hamburger-like patty that is never called a Hamburger anywhere in Germany I know of and is not served on a bun but is kind of more like a meatloaf patty with bread and raisins in it I know as "Frikadellen" but I know that also has many names - I know a second one but I'm blanking on it.

Quote

"German chocolate cake" is actually not named after the country, but after a  guy called Samuel German. The coconut should trip anybody off that it can't be an original German thing.

I knew it wasn't German, but couldn't figure out why it got that name...  mystery solved!

[kirstenhill]

We do British style pancakes every year for pancake day... here's my lemon juice/powdered sugar lunch pancakes! 

[Corraleno]

My ex, who is British, didn't like American-style pancakes and he made excellent crepes (which were pancakes to him), so that was a typical Sunday breakfast when the kids were growing up. I like them with lemon and sugar, sometimes with sliced strawberries as well, but the kids usually ate them with Nutella and raspberry jam. 

[KungFuPanda]

3 hours ago, ktgrok said:

Wait - fried fish and pancakes? The lemon juice thing was surprising, but okay. But fish with pancakes? That may be a step too far! Especially if it isn't deep fried, I could almost see that with a sweet side since we do hush puppies and corn fritters with those and those can be sweetish. (although...I do LOVE fish)

I dunno.  It's not that far off from chicken and waffles.

Now I'm wondering if all of these people who prefer crepes to waffles also prefer slippery dumplings over fluffy ones.

Edited February 16, 2021 by KungFuPanda

[Matryoshka]

24 minutes ago, Spy Car said:

I do this commonly when I make Dutch Babies (aka Popovers).

I generally reserve Dutch Babies for special days (holidays, birthdays, etc) and sometimes serve them with maple syrup.

But using powdered sugar (aka confectioner's sugar) to dust the Dutch Babies first (never granulated sugar) "seals" up the pancakes and the sweet/sour topping from a squeeze of lemon is really good.

Bill

Okay, I know what a popover is.  And for some reason I thought they were French, lol.  There's a restaurant in the town where I went to college that's famous for its popovers served with their own apple butter.  Yum.  That's really the only place and way I've eaten them.

Why would those ever be called 'pancakes'?  We are talking about the big poofy things, kind of eggy with a lot of air in them?  Speaking of pans, I for some reason also thought they were made in an oven.  Apparently I have not been curious about popovers past having them put on a plate in front of me...

[theelfqueen]

It's okay Matryoshka. Come.over here and we can eat blini and know that Russian pancakes are the best anyway.

[Matryoshka]

2 minutes ago, theelfqueen said:

It's okay Matryoshka. Come.over here and we can eat blini and know that Russian pancakes are the best anyway.

Num num.  Blinis are the crepes wrapped around soft cheesy stuff in the middle, yes?  My mom used to make those with her crepes/Pfannkuchen sometimes, though I think that's not a German thing...  And certainly fancier than smearing jam on them and wrapping them up!

[Matryoshka]

10 minutes ago, KungFuPanda said:

I dunno.  It's not that far off from chicken and waffles.

Now I'm wondering if all of these people who prefer crepes to waffles also prefer slippery dumplings over fluffy ones.

Hm, crepes and waffles are such utterly different things - do we have to prefer one over the other?  Both good.

But now I'm confused.  What kinds of dumplings are 'slippery' vs 'fluffy'?  Are these Asian style dumplings to which you refer, or more European-ish?  Or is there an all-American variant I'm also ignorant of?

I do not live in the land of chicken and waffles, or chicken-fried steak, or things like grits or sausage gravy.  I have heard that people eat these things...