All about Pönnukökur

Pancakes as part of the Icelandic soul

Panna and Kaka

The word "panna" (plural: "pönnur") means pan, the word "kaka" (plural: kökur") means cake. Icelandic "Pönnukökur" are literally "pancakes". By the way, a single pancake is called "Pönnukaka".

Incidentally, in terms of their structure, Icelandic pönnukökur are much more reminiscent of thin French crepes than of thick pancakes.


What's special about Icelandic pancakes

A special feature of Icelandic pancakes is that you add melted butter to the dough at the end, so you don't need any or only a little fat for the pan to bake and the pancakes are particularly delicious without dripping with fat. This way you can bake the Pönnukökur particularly thinly.


Pönnukökupanna

In Iceland there are even special pancake pans - I also have a cast iron "pönnukökupanna" that my husband gave me for Christmas three years ago at my very special request and that I love dearly and cherish. The pancakes turn out much better than in any other pan...

Pancakes as part of Icelandic identity
- no celebration without pancakes

Icelandic pancakes are "connected with our national identity", I recently read from the Icelander Alda Sigmundsdóttir in her book "The little book about the Icelanders in old times" - and I found this sentence very apt.

Alda writes that she doesn't know any Icelander who doesn't appreciate Pönnukökur - not only because the pancakes taste delicious (oh yes, they do!), they are also associated with the beautiful times in the lives of Icelanders: "Icelandic pancakes are, above all,... baked when there is something to celebrate."


Pönnukökur recipes

So there are few dishes that get to the core of what Icelandic cuisine and Icelandic identity are as much as pancakes. For this reason, my absolute favorite Pönnukökur recipe was chosen for the first recipe that we are allowed to present in the magazine “Zauber des Nordens" (= "Magic of the North").

In addition to the classic Pönnukökur recipes, in which you sprinkle the Pönnukökur with sugar and cinnamon or spread it with jam or cream, roll it up and then serve it cold, there are of course many other variations, sweet and savory.

On the occasion of our premiere at "Zauber des Nordens" I would like to introduce you to a few more unusual Pönnukökur recipes here in the blog this week: various sweet versions and also two hearty recipes.

Just let yourself be surprised!

[Translated from here.]