Lauren’s Kitchen: Oma’s Kirsch Pfannkuchen

Disclaimer: This is not a plant-based recipe but it’s earned a spot on my blog for these 3 reasons.

1. It’s a incredibly healthy way to “cheat.”
2. It’s amazingly delicious.
3. It’s my mother-in-law’s recipe.

My husband grew up in the Schwäbisch region of Germany where fruit based meals are not unusual. In a land where eating local and seasonal was and still is how it’s done, it makes perfect sense that the bounty of fruit harvested directly in the back garden was turned into an occasional main course. There certainly wasn’t a more economical way to feed a family. Out of all the traditions and culture I needed to familiarize myself with over the years, this one didn’t take me long to embrace. Fruit dinners are at the top of my Schwäbisch meal list, right after Kartoffel Puree and Sauerkraut….yum!

It probably isn’t a complete coincidence that our summer journey to Europe aligns with cherry season. This year, however, due to the cooler weather, I wasn’t so sure we would be rewarded. Thankfully, the sun broke through the chilly grey skies of our first weeks to ripen the local crop the day before we were to return. Believe me, we didn’t waste any time filling a few buckets and prepping for a final meal of gorgeous cherry pancakes.

I’m sharing my mother-in-law’s recipe that I’ve adapted to be gluten and dairy free.  It’s simple and straight forward and the same basic ingredients can be used for a variety of fruits as they are in season. The work is in prepping the fruit, but once that is done the the rest is quite simple.

Here’s what you need to produce 4 meal-sized pancakes:

4 eggs separated
1/3 to 1/2 (90-125 ml) of a nut-based milk (I suggest almond milk)
1-2 tablespoon of sugar (I suggest coconut sugar)
1 c (250 g) of gluten free flour blend
Pinch of Salt

Beat egg whites and pinch of salt until stiff and dry and set aside. Beat the egg yolks and the sugar until thick. Whisk the flour into the yolks. Add milk gradually as the amount used will vary depending on egg size. Ultimately you want a thick batter that will mound when dropped from a spoon—not runny. Finally, gently fold beaten whites into the yolk based batter.

Heat on medium, similarly sized skillets, add a bit of coconut oil to each one.  When skillet is hot divide batter evenly, top with fruit covering the entire surface as in the photo.

Cook on medium heat 3-5 minutes. When the bottom of pancake is golden brown and the edges of the batter are well set, flip using a dinner plate to assist and cook another few minutes. Patience and a low to medium heat is important so the pancake will cook all the way through without burning.

Enjoy every last bite and then get back to your plant-based eating in the morning!