Hairy Bikers Finnish Pancakes

Hairy Bikers Finnish pancakes are one big oven-baked pancake, a thin eggy batter poured into a buttered tray and baked until puffed and golden. From their Northern Exposure series on BBC Food, it serves 6 at about 250 calories a slice before toppings, in 70 minutes with resting.

Think of it as “a cross between a Yorkshire pudding and a pancake”, which is how it’s summed up in the recipe on BBC Food. But where a Yorkshire is savoury, this one is cut into squares and served sweet, somewhere between breakfast and pudding.

Resting the batter for at least half an hour is the step not to skip, because it thickens slightly as it stands. And make sure the oven is fully up to temperature before the tray goes in, which is my own advice on top of theirs.

Hairy Bikers Finnish Pancakes

Author: Alex Saidani Cooking Method:Baking Cuisine:British Finnish Courses:Dessert Breakfast

Difficulty:BeginnerPrep time: 10 minutesCook time: 30 minutesRest time: 30 minutesTotal time:1 hour 10 minutesServings:6 servingsCalories:250 kcal Best Season:Summer

Description

Plain flour, baking powder, sugar and four eggs are whisked into a thick batter, then thinned with 600ml of milk and rested. Then it bakes in a buttered tray at 200°C until risen, golden and soft underneath, ready to slice six ways.

Ingredients

For the batter

• 150g plain flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 2 tbsp caster sugar
• pinch of salt
• 4 large free-range eggs
• 600ml milk
• 25g butter, melted

To serve

• icing sugar, for dusting
• fruit compote
• crème fraîche or soured cream

Instructions

1. Start the batter: Put the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt in a large bowl, then make a well in the centre and break in the eggs. Whisk, gradually working in all the flour, until you have a thick batter.
2. Whisk in the milk: Pour in the milk a little at a time, whisking as you go, until it’s all incorporated and smooth.
3. Let it stand: Leave the batter at room temperature for at least half an hour, so it thickens slightly.
4. Heat the oven: Heat the oven to 200°C/Fan 180°C/Gas 6, giving it at least 10 minutes to come up to temperature.
5. Bake: Brush a roasting tray or baking dish, about 25 x 20cm by my suggestion, with all the melted butter, then pour in the batter. Bake for around 30 minutes, until well risen and turning golden brown, but still soft and slightly doughy underneath, as intended.
6. Serve: Dust with icing sugar and cut into 6 pieces, then top each one with fruit compote and a spoonful of crème fraîche or soured cream.

FAQs

What size tin should I use?

The recipe only says a roasting tray or baking dish, so this part is my suggestion. With about a litre of batter, a dish around 25 x 20cm gives a layer roughly 2cm deep.

A bigger tray makes it thinner and crisper, while a smaller dish makes it taller with a thicker, softer middle. So in a bigger tray, I’d start checking from about 20 minutes.

Is it meant to be doughy underneath?

Yes, because the recipe says it’s ready when it’s well risen and golden but still doughy underneath. So don’t keep baking it until the base dries out, since that soft layer is the point.

That’s where it parts company with a Yorkshire pudding, which comes out crisp and hollow with no doughy base. And their Yorkshire pudding gets that by pouring the batter into smoking-hot fat, while this one goes into a buttered tray.

What can I top it with, or serve before it?

The recipe tips swap the fruit compote for jam, maple syrup or honey, and soured cream can stand in for the crème fraîche. And I’d serve it warm from the oven, which is my own preference.

In Finland, pea soup followed by oven pancake is a classic Thursday meal, and their Finland episode included a Finnish split pea soup. And their pea and ham soup from Meat Feasts is “a Finnish recipe”, as they put it.

Is it the same as a Dutch pancake?

Not quite, and the batter is the difference. Because their savoury Dutch pancake in One Pot Wonders uses 75g flour, 3 eggs and just 125ml milk, with bacon and Gouda.

So that batter is far thicker, while the Finnish one is mostly milk and eggs and bakes up softer. And the Finnish one is sweet, served with icing sugar and fruit rather than cheese.

What other pancakes have they made?

Plenty, including a Japanese okonomiyaki and Korean kimchi pancakes in Asian Adventure, plus potato latkes in Meat Feasts. Then in Make It Easy there’s crispy duck with homemade Chinese-style pancakes.

Closer to home, their American pancakes fill a 20cm pan with buttermilk batter and blueberries. Or their banana pancakes are small and light, made with whisked egg whites.