Swedish Pancakes

Ingredients

• 3 Eggs
• 1 tsp Salt
• 1 tbsp Sugar
• 1 cup Flour
• 1 2/3 cups Milk
• 6-8 tbsp Butter

Method

Whisk the eggs until pale and foamy — this incorporates air that will lighten the final pancake. Add salt, sugar, flour, and milk and stir until just combined. The batter should be thinner than crêpe batter but thicker than poured cream; you're aiming for a consistency that spreads under its own weight but holds a shallow pool in the centre of the griddle. Lumps don't matter here — overworking develops gluten and toughens the result.

Melt the butter over medium heat until it foams and the foam subsides, then pour it into the batter whilst stirring. The melted butter enriches the crumb and promotes browning through the egg-cookery Maillard reaction. Let the batter rest for five minutes; this allows the flour to fully hydrate and gives you a more cohesive cook.

Heat a griddle or large non-stick pan to medium — not medium-high. Wipe it with butter between pancakes. Pour 120ml (roughly half a cup) of batter onto the hot surface and immediately tilt the griddle in all directions until the batter spreads into a thin, even circle about 25cm wide. The batter will set quickly. Once the edges feel firm to the touch and lift cleanly from the griddle with a spatula (about one minute), flip. The second side needs only 20 to 30 seconds — you're looking for pale gold spots, not deep browning, since the underside cooks faster on the residual heat.

Transfer to a plate while still warm. Place the spatula across the middle and fold the pancake in half, then in half again, creating four layers. The structure holds because the cooked batter sets firm enough to fold without tearing. Serve immediately with lingonberry jam, a knob of butter, whipped cream, or a sharp berry compote. Swedish pancakes are thinner and more delicate than their American cousins — they collapse if left to sit, so time your service to the cook.