Lívance (small fluffy pancakes)

Lívance — small, fluffy yeast pancakes topped with plum jam and quark; a comforting Czech sweet ready in 30 minutes.

Ingredients

• medium-coarse flour250 g
• milk300 ml
• eggs2 pcs
• yeast1/2 cube
• plum jam150 g
• quark (curd cheese)150 g

Method

1. Warm milk and activate yeast. Gently warm the milk to about 37°C — it should feel just comfortable on your wrist, not hot. Crumble in the yeast, stir briefly, and leave for 5 minutes until it starts to look a little frothy.
2. Make the batter. Beat the eggs into the yeasty milk, then sift in the flour and whisk until you have a smooth, fairly thick batter — thicker than crêpe batter but still pourable. Leave it to rest for 10 minutes; it will puff up slightly.
3. Heat the pan. Set a heavy frying pan or skillet over medium heat and add a small knob of butter or a splash of oil. The fat should shimmer but not smoke before you start cooking.
4. Fry the lívance. Drop spoonfuls of batter into the pan to make small rounds, about 6–7 cm across. Cook for 2–3 minutes until the tops look dry around the edges and the undersides are deep golden brown.
5. Flip and finish. Flip each pancake and cook for a further 1–2 minutes until puffed and cooked through — press one gently; it should spring back. Cook in batches, keeping finished ones warm.
6. Plate and top. Arrange the lívance on plates, spoon over the plum jam generously, and add a dollop of quark alongside or on top. Serve straight away while they're still warm and fluffy.

Safety & hygiene Important

• Check yeast is active. If your batter shows no rise or bubbling after resting, the yeast may have been killed by milk that was too hot (above 43°C). Always check the milk temperature before adding the yeast.