Blueberry Pachade (Rustic Pancake)
Two thick, golden pancakes from the heart of the Auvergne, sandwiched together with sweetened blueberries. The edges crisp slightly in the pan, the inside stays soft and yielding, and the blueberries collapse just enough to become jammy without losing their shape. Quick to make, wonderfully simple, and far more delicious than you’d ever expect.
Ingredients
For the batter
- 4 eggs
- 200 gr plain flour
- 100 gr caster sugar
- 1 l whole milk
- 1 pinch salt
- butter
For the blueberry filling
- 250 gr blueberries
- 50 gr icing sugar
To serve
Equipment
- plate for flipping
Instructions
1. Make the batter
- In a large mixing bowl, crack in the eggs and add the sugar and salt. Whisk together until slightly foamy. Add the flour and whisk until smooth and completely lump-free, take your time with this step. Gradually whisk in the milk, a little at a time, until you have a smooth, pourable batter that's noticeably thicker than crêpe batter but still flows easily. If time allows, cover and rest at room temperature for 30 minutes, the batter relaxes and the pachades will be more even.
2. Prepare the blueberries
- Tip the blueberries into a small bowl, add the sugar, and stir gently. Leave to macerate while you cook the pachades, the sugar will draw out the juice and soften the fruit slightly without turning it to mush.
3. Cook the first pachade
- Heat a 24–26cm frying pan over medium-high heat. Add a knob of butter and let it get hot. Give the batter a quick stir, then pour in half of it. It should spread to fill the pan in a thick layer. Reduce the heat slightly to medium and cook for 3-4 minutes until the underside is well browned and the edges are set. The surface will still look slightly wet, this is fine. Using a large spatula, or by inverting onto a plate and sliding back into the pan, flip the pachade and cook for a further 2-3 minutes until golden on the second side. Slide onto a warm plate and keep warm.
4. Cook the second pachade
- Add a little more butter to the pan and repeat with the remaining batter. Same process, same timings.
5. Assemble and serve
- Place the first pachade on a serving plate or board. Spoon the sugared blueberries evenly over the surface. Place the second pachade directly on top, pressing very gently. Dust generously with icing sugar and bring straight to the table. Cut into wedges like a tart and serve warm.
Notes
- Whole milk gives the best result here, the fat content matters for the texture and richness of the batter. Semi-skimmed works but the pachades will be slightly less tender.
- The batter rest is optional but worth it if you have time. It makes the batter smoother and gives a more even cook.
- Fresh blueberries are strongly preferable. Frozen can work but release considerably more liquid, which can make the filling watery, if using frozen, don't defrost first and reduce the sugar slightly.
- The flip is the only technically demanding moment. A large flat spatula works well, or slide the pachade onto a large plate, hold the pan inverted over the plate, then flip the whole thing over in one confident motion. Hesitation is your enemy here.
- Myrtilles are the small, intensely flavoured wild blueberries from the Auvergne mountains and are the authentic choice if you can find them. They're smaller and more tart than cultivated blueberries, and the flavour is noticeably more complex. Some specialist food shops and French delis stock them seasonally.