When my daughter left for her first year at University in New York City her suitcases were at full capacity. Well, maybe even a bit over according to the scales at the airport. Nonetheless she found space for her mamma‘s Icelandic pancake pan. To her, a home just isn‘t a home without it.
Anyone raised outside of Iceland with an Icelandic relative would have grown up with pancakes done the Icelandic way. If not as a normal now and then treat but for sure around the holidays, especially Christmas. While the American culture thinks of pancakes as a breakfast food, ours is more often used as a dessert or an afternoon treat with coffee or tea.
The pancakes in Iceland traditionally were a staple. They were quick to make, affordable and could be fancied up with whip cream and jam or simply rolled up with a sprinkle of sugar.
Though recipes vary from family to family it is the splash of coffee that we put in the dough that brings us to remember my grandmother each time we make them. She told us that the coffee is what gives the color. We agree with her and will, forever more, add that ½ or so cup of coffee to each batter.
Throughout the years I have made the pancakes for school and church events as well as a dessert for potlucks (yes, they can be served cold). When people ask how it is made I would reply “It’s all about the pan, you got to have the pan”. I have given this pan to several of my American friends as gifts. Now they too are passing this tradition on to their family and friends. Of course, the connection to Iceland is always brought up in conversation.
While there may be many "crepe" pans available, none seem to work like the one I grew up with. Maybe it is the solid thick aluminum that keeps a steady heat in the pan, for whatever reason the Hella pan, which is still handmade in Iceland does the job.
Try it for yourself. See the recipe below and don't forget to see the video of the Hella company making the pan (please note, we are working on getting English sub-titles, but for now the pictures say it all). They produce these pans just as they always have, by hand.
4 cups flour 1 cup sugar 1 tsp baking powder 1tsp baking soda ½ tsp. cardamom 2 eggs 1 stick of butter melted. 1 ½ tsp vanilla ¼ or so cup coffee Milk
Combine the above ingredients in a large mixing bowl leaving the milk for last. If you find the batter is not thin enough simply add additional milk. The batter should resemble a thick cream, not dough like. Heat the pan to Medium High. With a separate stick of butter smear the stick over the hot pan. Do this every second or third pancake. The batter should be thin enough that it creates some holes in the pancake. There is no perfect heat or perfect batter. You will feel it out according to how your stovetop works with the pan. I like to use just under a quarter of a cup to get the perfect amount of batter on the pan. It takes a few practice runs to get good at this but once you figure it out you got it forever more. Enjoy.
We at Lifestyle - Iceland, now have available a finite number of pans for sale in the United States. These pans are handmade in Iceland. The craftmanship and skill in making these pans has not changed since 1950. While the video is currently only in Icelandic (we are working on getting English sub-titles), you will see the work involved in preparing these pans for families to enjoy. This pan could be found in nearly all Icelandic households. One might ask, Why are they still made in Iceland where costs are so much higher than in China? Well, that is the tradition, the history and the story - if one values tradition, one will value these pans. These pans, if well taken care of, can be passed down from generation to generation. This makes an especially special wedding gift.