Poffertjes, or roompoffertjies as they’re known in Afrikaans, are Dutch mini pancakes with a part risen flying saucer shape. Roompoffertjies are a true nostalgic treat traditionally made from buckwheat flour with added yeast to ensure they puff up during baking.

The Dutch have enjoyed these beauties since at least the 1700s and must have adapted them into the Afrikaner culture. Poffertjes were traditionally made with special pans with circular depressions for each mini pancake and flipped with a special two-pronged fork.

Roompoffertjies history

Roompoffertjies history

Poffertjes have a rich history, and legend has that they may even have a divine origin. Also called broedertjes or little brothers, they’re thought to have originated in a Dutch Abbey, created for use as part of the communion host. The story goes that the heavenly taste transported church goers and enterprising locals soon set up stalls to sell the new delicacy.

They were served at birthday parties, weddings, and other festive occasions. They’re still popular Dutch street food, sold from stalls on city streets and at outdoor festivals. Poffertjes makers were present in fairs even in the 18^th century with large carts where they attached large steel frames with lots of indentations to create poffertjes pans.

Today, you can find a poffertjes pan online, but you don’t have to. In our easy roompoffertjies cream puff recipe, you can drop the dough on an oven cookie sheet using a spoon or squeeze it from a bottle, ziplock, or piping bag!

Roompoffertjies cream puff recipe

Mmmmm, Cream Puffs! If you’ve always wanted to make cream puffs but were too scared to try, don’t be! Our roompoffertjies cream puff recipe will show you how to make roompoffertjies with cream puff fillings easily. You’ll get cream puffs as good if not better than store-bought ones, and you know the exact ingredients, meaning no additives or chemicals.

What you need

• 1 cup water
• ½ cup butter
• 1 cup flour
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 4 large eggs
• Whipped cream

What to do

• Arrange the ingredients and preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
• Bring the water to boil in a saucepan.
• Add the butter, salt, and sugar and stir until they’re melted and combined.
• Turn off the heat and add flour to the pot, stirring with a wooden spoon.
• Turn the heat to a medium-high and stir vigorously until the mixture becomes a ball. The process will dry out the dough and cook the flour.
• Remove from heat and transfer it to an electric mixer, beating the dough for about a minute to cool it down.
• Once it’s cool, add one egg, beat and let it stand for five minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition.
• The dough will come back together with each addition after the ingredients come to the same temperature.
• Let it stand for ten minutes after adding the last egg, and check the batter. The dough should be smooth and glossy but somehow elastic. Add another egg if it’s too dry and check again.
• You can drop the dough onto the cookie sheet in various ways. You can use a tablespoon, prepare a piping bag or use a ziplock or resealable bag to pipe the dough.
• Prepare baking sheets by piping small dots of dough on the corners, lining the parchment paper, and pressing it onto the dough to adhere and prevent it from flying up in the oven.
• Pipe 1 ½ inch mounds or your desired size by gently squeezing your piping or ziplock bag. Quickly twist and flick the bag when you reach the desired size or press them gently to get more of a flat top than a peak.
• Bake for 20 to 35 minutes and start checking around 20 minutes in. Roompoffertjies should take around 30 minutes to get cooked through and well browned. The roompoffertjies get puffed as the water in the dough evaporates when baking
• Once the roompoffertjies have completely cooled, poke small holes on each.
• Use the whipped cream as cream puff filling and pipe it into each puff until it feels heavy. You can freeze the filled puffs to enjoy delicious frozen roompoffertjies cream puffs.

Roompoffertjies croquembouche

You can also wow your guests with a show-stopping croquembouche dessert for your next special occasion. Croquembouche refers to ‘crunch in the mouth’ in French, and it involves a cone-shaped tower of cream puffs bound together by caramel. You’ll need to prepare the caramel before making the roompoffertjies croquembouche.

What you need

• 2 cups of sugar
• 2 tablespoons of dark corn syrup
• 2/3 cup water (160 ml)
• 2/3 cup heavy cream (160 ml)

What to do

• Mix the water, syrup, and sugar in a pan and place it over medium heat.
• Bring to boil, put the lid on and cook for five minutes.
• Cook for 7 to 10 minutes without the lead until the caramel is a deep amber or light golden brown.
• Avoid stirring the mixture while cooking as it can cause the sugar to crystalise.
• Remove from heat, add the heavy cream and stir vigorously.
• Carefully dip each roompoffertjies cream puff into the caramel and arrange them on a serving platter in a circular pattern.
• Continue stacking the caramel-dipped roompoffertjies cream puffs in a tower shape and once you’re done, drizzle the caramel sauce around the tower and enjoy your croquembouche!

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