Chilean Pancake Recipe (Panqueques)

Chilean pancakes are a tasty treat that are served at breakfast, at once (Chile’s evening snack or dinner), or dessert.

Chilean pancakes, or panqueques as they are called locally, can be quite sweet and help satisfy the sweet tooth that most Chileans have. They are one of my favorite traditional Chilean foods.

Simply put, the Chilean pancake is a crepe, covered in manjar (a very sweet carmel-like spread).

To make Chilean pancakes, choose your favorite crepe recipe or follow these steps:

Chilean Pancake Ingredients

1 cup all-purpose flour
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup water
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons melted butter
small package manjar or dulce de leche (see how to make manjar)

How to Make the Chilean Pancake (Panqueque):

1. Whisk the flour and eggs together in a mixing bowl.
2. Slowly add in the milk and water while stirring.
3. Add the salt and butter and whisk until smooth.
4. Ideally you’ll have a small circular crepe pan. If not, use a non-stick frying pan or griddle on medium-high heat. Pour about a 1/4 cup of batter into the pan for each pancake. Tilt the pan in a circular motion so the batter coats the surface evenly.
5. Cook the pancake for about 2 minutes or until the bottom is light brown. The edges should start to lift up and off the pan. Loosen with a spatula, flip over and cook the other side.
6. Remove cooked pancake and let cool on rack.
7. When cool to the touch, spread a thin layer of manjar on one side of the pancake.

How to Serve the Chilean Pancake

You can serve Chilean pancakes many different ways. For example:

• Roll the manjar-covered pancake inward so that the manjar side folds in on itself.
• Fold the pancake in half and then in half again
• Serve with ice cream, powdered sugar, or as is.

You can serve the Chilean pancakes chilled or fresh right after you make them.

If you like Chilean pancakes, you should try some other Chilean desserts from the comprehensive Chilean cookbook Tasting Chile: A Celebration of Authentic Chilean Foods and Wines.

Enjoy!

Posted March 30th, 2011 in Food.