The raclette pancake trick (and a recipe that works)
TL;DR
How I use a raclette maker to cook eight mini pancakes at once, keep the kitchen clean with a mat on the counter and another under the learning tower, and the banana pancake recipe my kids actually eat.
4 min read
Prep surface · Cooking with kids · The raclette trick · Recipe
I make banana pancakes most weekends. Flour on the counter, batter on the floor, eggshell in the bowl. Two children helping means twice the mess and twice the fun. Over time I have worked out a setup that keeps things manageable.
The counter stays clean
I lay the Wriggle mat flat on the worktop before I start. Eggshells, flour dust, batter drips from the hand mixer, the ladle that never quite makes it back to the bowl. It all lands on the mat instead of the granite.
When I am done, I slide the mat to the sink, wipe it down and fold it away. The counter underneath is dry.
Cleanup takes thirty seconds instead of ten minutes. That is the whole trick.
Kids on the learning tower
My two stand on an Architoys foldable learning tower so they can reach the counter. They crack eggs (mostly into the bowl), pour milk (mostly into the jug), and stir batter (mostly in the right direction).
The Roam mat goes underneath the tower. Whatever falls off the counter, off the tower, off the children, lands on the mat. After breakfast I wipe it and fold it into the cupboard.
Whatever falls off the counter, off the tower, off the children, lands on the mat.
Eight pancakes at once
I stopped using a frying pan a couple of years ago. The top grill plate of a raclette maker heats evenly and fits eight small pancakes at once. Pour, wait, flip, done. Twenty pancakes in three rounds. It feels absurd but it works.
The mat sits under the raclette maker. Batter drips, oil spatters, the occasional pancake that does not quite make it onto the plate. Nothing reaches the table.
The mini size is right for small hands. The kids eat them plain, with blueberries pressed in, or dipped in yoghurt. The adults add chocolate chips while nobody is looking.
I eyeball most of this. It is not precise. It does not need to be.
Banana pancakes (our weekend recipe)
Makes about 20 coffee-mug-sized pancakes
Wet ingredients (food processor first)
- 3 cups milk or plant-based milk (I use cashew)
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1.5 cups full-fat quark (or cottage cheese or Greek yoghurt)
- 2 large eggs
- Half a ripe banana, fresh or pre-frozen
- Handful of unsalted whole cashews
Dry ingredients (add after blending wet)
- Pinch of salt
- Half a sachet of baking powder
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds
- 1 tablespoon pre-crushed linseed
- 2 tablespoons coconut flakes
- 1 cup porridge oats
- 2 cups half-white flour
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Method
- Blend the wet ingredients until smooth.
- Add the dry ingredients and pulse briefly. The batter should be thick but pourable. Add a splash more milk if needed.
- Heat the raclette grill plate (or a large non-stick pan) to medium.
- Pour small rounds. When bubbles form on top and the edges set, flip. About 90 seconds each side.
- Stack on a plate and serve warm.
Optional extras
- Press frozen blueberries into the batter after pouring
- Dark chocolate chips (I use Cailler dark chocolate)
The quark and cashews pack in the protein, the oats and seeds add fibre. Adjust quantities to taste.
Keep reading
Size comparison: Which mat fits where
Cleaning tips: Textile information and care
More ideas: Activity guide
Our story: About Studio Huske
About Studio Huske
Studio Huske designs durable, wipeable essentials for family life. Each mat is made in small batches in Korea using silicone leather produced and certified under OEKO-TEX Standard 100/1 (Class I). Photography by Deborah Hitz (Herzgeweckt).