Oh my, what big pancakes I have…

Potato Pancakes, Mère Blanc Style
This, however, is not real life, but bloggerland Wonderland, where these are giants among pancakes. Pancakes that, in true Alice-in-Wonderland style, say eat me. Well, make me first, then eat me. I, for one, am not going to argue with a giant pancake.
The recipe for these big-seeming-but-really-little pancakes was another one that had caught my eye from Lindsey Bareham’s book In Praise Of The Potato. These were pancakes that she first encountered at La Mère Blanc’s restaurant in Bourg-en-Bresse. When somebody describes a meal as one of their “greatest gastronomic experiences” and adds that these particular pancakes stole the show, well, you take note. And given the license to consume and blog about pancakes afforded by Pancake Tuesday this week, the time had come to try them out.
Delightful they were. Kind-of creamy and almost mousse-y inside. Resident sis thought their consistency not unlike the interior of french toast. They have been described elsewhere as mini-souffle pancakes and that description seems spot-on to me. So make them, enjoy them and bon appétit.
Mère Blanc’s Potato Pancakes
This is a slightly modified version of that found in Lindsey Bareham’s book. Make them as they are and take them in either a sweet or savoury direction, as the mood takes you. I think that these would be particularly good brunch fare along with some crispy maple-cured bacon.
You’ll need:
- 250g potato (preferably a waxy variety)
- 55ml milk
- 55g plain flour, sifted
- 2 eggs, separated
- 1.5 tblsps heavy cream
- pinch of salt
- butter for frying
The Steps:
- First boil or steam the potatoes. As the recipe only calls for one or two spuds, you can always cook up some more while you’re at it and use those you don’t need here for something else.
- If you haven’t already done so, peel the potatoes, then mash using a fork or potato masher together with a little of the milk.
- Allow the potatoes to cool and then mix in the flour, a pinch of salt, egg yolks, cream and remaining milk.
- Whisk the egg whites until stiff, then fold into the potato mixture, which will now have the consistency of a very thick batter. Don’t overmix.
- If you don’t want to cook the pancakes straight away, you can keep the batter covered in the fridge, but make sure to bring it back up to room temperature before cooking.
- To cook the pancakes, heat a pan over a medium-high heat and melt some butter in the pan, enough to coat it.
- Drop tablespoons of the potato batter onto the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side, or until browned.
- Continue until you’ve finished the batter and either keep the pancakes warm in the oven or feed them directly to your waiting public as you go.
The Variations:
- Go all out savoury and stir some fresh chopped herbs in the batter – dill, parsley, coriander, whatever takes your fancy
- I’m thinking that if you want to go the sweet route, you could add 0.5 tsp vanilla essence to the batter and then dust the pancakes with icing sugar. Have not tried this out yet, but may well do next time.
The Results:
- This made around 18 squat little pancakes, enough for 3-4 bodies.
MMMMMMM… those look appetizing! I have never had potato pancakes before…But I will try them!
“Pancake” was enough for me to contentedly read your post while sipping my coffee, still in my jammies, on a cold yet sunny winter Sunday . But then you had to go and throw in phrases like “kind-of creamy and almost mousse-y inside” and “not unlike the interior of french toast”. Now, I have to put on my boots, shovel the driveway and go out for potatoes . . .
oh, these look wonderful! I would love to have a taste! Your picture is just gorgeous.
I love potato pancakes that don’t use shredded potatoes – not that I dislike shredded potato pancakes, I just like this version a bit better. Your pancakes are perfectly cooked – looks like you had the heat in your pan just right.
yum! those sound just delicious!
Sophie: I’m sure you’ll like them!
Tangled Noodle: oops, sorry about that, couldn’t be helped… :)
Natasha: thanks! In return, I’m going to have to give your blini a try…
gastroanthropologist: thanks – I like pancakes using shredded potato too, but these are just something quite different, more delicate, really
Heather: they are :)
Oh…… My….. Gosh….. Those are a beautiful beautiful sight. *droool*
oooh, that looks too good! not the traditional potato pancakes i know and love, but i’m sure delicious all the same.
You should weigh 20 stone instead of the mere slip of a thing you are. Heavy cream??? I could feel weight going on by just reading this recipe. What is heavy cream anyhow???
Congratulations on your BIG win by the way. Very proud on your behalf.
Wow, I may have to make that picture my screen saver – it looks fantastic! Of course, I’d be hungry all the time then. Potato pancakes are definitely at the top of my list of favorite foods.
Jordan: calm now, deep breaths, … and thanks for dropping in!
kickpleat: yep, not the usual but indeed delicious :)
Michelle: thanks my dear (and for heavy cream read normal, fullfat cream that you could whip up and put on your strawberries) – and I don’t rightly know either how I escape having lots of food-induced tonnage on my person. A lot of walking helps I reckon…
OysterCulture: probably best avoided as a screensaver, lest you get caught short and find yourself having to go out to buy pancake-making wherewithal at unexpected moments :)
Oh and they are beautiful! Thanks for participating again this month. Your photo is so beautiful!
God they look good. I’m going to make those tonight. With big, fat, herby sausages. Nom nom nom xx
Wow! You are so talented! Do you mind if I add you to my blogroll? I love your blog
Your potato pancakes are absolutely drool worthy! WOW!
Gorgeous photo? check. Delicious recipe? check. A foodie that shouold consider entering ‘eating your words’ challenge? CHECK!
I love a crispy edge to a pancake, potato or otherwise. This look fantastic! My list of ways to use spuds is growing by leaps and bounds thanks to you. :)
Mmmm, that savory idea of adding herbs would totally be our way to go. But the sweet version is also intriguing. Hmmm, we’ll take both!
Oh my I love this. Especially this with bacon!
noble pig: thanks! happy to join in on the spud round up again…
English Mum: hope you enjoyed those dearie!
Pearl: wow, thanks! I would be delighted to be included on your blogroll and thanks for stopping by :)
Michelle: welcome & thanks so much!
Jennifer: check, check, check – I gotta get moving on that little project!
Lori: always happy to bring interesting potato tidbits your way :)
Duo Dishes: you can sure do both, just not necessarily in the same pancake, lol
megan: would be a good combo I’d say
Wow, those pancakes are to die for! They look incredibly delicious.
I’m up in the middle of the night, unable to sleep, trying to catch up on the world of food blogging, and even after reading a ton of posts *these* are what made me realize that I’m *starving*! Good thing I don’t have any potatoes in the house!
Yum! Love potato in dough–keeps things moist and fluffy and happy. And I like pictures of wee pancakes that make them look like the Pancakes That Ate Manhattan!
These look beautiful, can you send me some? :)
Yum! I LOVE potato pancakes but have never had them here in Japan.
I have Paku (Miwa) standing next to me and I am telling her to get ready to make potato pancakes on her next day off.
Thank you for the recipe, all neatly formated!
Peko
Everytime I read any of your posts… I fall deeper and deeper in love with the taters! Man o man, I remember my cousin making potato pancakes and I thought they were the nastiest things in the world (plus she would make them in the microwave …. in the 80’s)….shudder the thought.
These, look great, and good enough to attempt. Wish me luck.
Oh!!! I just saw that you won! Yay, you–I am so happy for you! There are not enough exclamation points in the world for this!
Those look great. I will have to try them out on my three pancake eaters.
Sara: welcome! Delicious is indeed a very good word for these pancakes :)
Other Tiger: it’s a dangerous thing to start reading food blogs on an empty stomach…
Jenni: Oh yay is me. How’s about ‘The Exclamation Points That Ate Manhattan’ – I think there’s a B movie in there somewhere!
Chef Bliss: on the way… :)
Peko: thanks for dropping by! hope you enjoy the pancakes, whoever makes ’em :)
lisha: oh dear, potato pancakes in the microwave just does not sound right! Best of luck in your pancake endeavours…
Holly: I hope your pancake eaters like them
An excellent recipe, able to enjoy only ten before the ecstasy came crashing down.
Crisatunity: thanks and welcome! 10 pancakes sounds like an excellent effort :)
Oh yum, really nice and very creamy inside!
Even with my love of potatoes I’ve never made a potato pancake before. I am ashamed (grin). I must give this a try.
Rufus: glad you liked!
Mrs. L: be ashamed no more, go forth and make pancakes! :)
These look great, will be making them tomorrow for breakfast along with bacon, sausages and eggs mmmmmmm!
Glad to hear it, enjoy!
check out our pancake sunday… http://www.vimeo.com/7374581
Well, sammi & jonno, I’d have to say that, on some levels at least, I don’t believe that I can compete with your pancake sunday :D
Thank you so much for posting this recipe. Found it on Tastespotting today and made them for breakfast. This could easily become my favourite potato pancake recipe.
Ann
Thanks so much for stopping by to say so, Ann. I’ve made lots of different styles of potato pancake in my time, but I still think this is my favourite too.
These look incredible! I’ll try them out for sure! Thank you for posting the recipe!
Why thank you Andrea, hope you enjoy them!
Any way you could post a conversion on the measurements?(: Looks AMAZING!
Hi Sarah, these are approx. conversions, hope this helps:
9 oz potato (one large-ish potato, just over 1/2 pound)
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup plain flour
2 eggs, separated
1.5 tblsp heavy cream