Thin, delicate crepes rolled around dulce de leche, a classic Argentinian breakfast and dessert.
Panqueques are Argentina's version of the French crepe, thin and delicate, made from a simple batter of flour, eggs and milk cooked quickly in a hot, lightly buttered pan. Unlike thicker American-style pancakes, panqueques are meant to be paper-thin and pliable enough to roll or fold easily around a filling, most commonly dulce de leche, the caramelized milk spread found in nearly every Argentinian kitchen. Getting panqueques thin enough takes a slightly loose batter and a quick swirl of the pan the moment the batter hits the heat -- too much batter or too slow a swirl and they turn out thick and pancake-like rather than delicate. Argentinian cooks typically use a well-seasoned or nonstick crepe pan and cook each side for under a minute, since a thin batter cooks through almost as fast as it sets. Rolled or folded around a generous spread of dulce de leche while still warm, panqueques are eaten for breakfast, an afternoon merienda, or dessert, sometimes finished with a dusting of powdered sugar or a scoop of dulce de leche ice cream alongside.
Serves 4
Whisk flour, eggs, milk, melted butter, sugar and salt together until completely smooth. Let rest 15 minutes.
Heat a small nonstick crepe pan or skillet over medium heat and brush lightly with butter.
Pour about 3 tablespoons of batter into the center, immediately tilting and swirling the pan to spread it into a thin, even circle.
Work quickly once the batter hits the pan -- a thin, even swirl is what keeps panqueques delicate instead of turning into thicker pancakes.
Cook 45 seconds to 1 minute until the edges lift and the surface looks set, then flip and cook 20 to 30 seconds on the other side. Stack cooked panqueques on a plate.
Spread each panqueque generously with dulce de leche, fold into quarters or roll into a cylinder, and dust with powdered sugar before serving warm.
Let the batter rest for at least 15 minutes before cooking; it relaxes the gluten and helps the panqueques spread thin without tearing.
Use a genuinely nonstick or well-seasoned pan -- panqueques are thin enough that sticking will tear them apart when you try to flip.
Spread the dulce de leche while the panqueques are still warm so it softens slightly and spreads more easily.
Chocolate panqueques: add 2 tablespoons cocoa powder to the batter for a chocolate version, filled with dulce de leche or Nutella.
Savory version: skip the sugar and fill with ham and cheese, folding and briefly pan-frying to melt the cheese.
Fruit-topped: serve alongside sliced bananas or strawberries in addition to the dulce de leche.
Stack cooked panqueques between sheets of parchment and refrigerate up to 2 days; reheat briefly in a dry skillet before filling. Unfilled panqueques also freeze well for up to a month.
Panqueques reflect the strong French and Italian culinary influence in Argentina from waves of European immigration, adapted into an everyday home dish most commonly filled with dulce de leche, the country's signature caramelized milk spread.
This usually means the pan isn't nonstick enough or wasn't buttered lightly before each one -- make sure the surface is well prepared and let the panqueque set fully before attempting to flip.
Yes, the batter keeps well covered in the fridge for up to a day; give it a quick whisk before using since it may separate slightly as it sits.
You can make a quick substitute by simmering a can of sweetened condensed milk (submerged, unopened) in water for about 3 hours, though store-bought dulce de leche is faster and widely available.
Per serving (180g / 6.3 oz) · 4 servings total
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