Lemon Blueberry Bavarian Pancakes

Perfect as part of your Easter brunch or as a sweet finish to your holiday meal, these lemon blueberry Bavarian pancakes are impressive and delicious.

Plate of Lemon Blueberry Bavarian Pancakes garnished with fresh blueberries and lemon curd.

The pancakes are thin and eggy, then filled with a lemony, fluffy Bavarian cream, folded into quarters, and garnished with fresh blueberries and even more of the luscious cream.  Doesn’t that sound decadent?  Well worth making for Easter.

I like serving this dish for brunch alongside Country Ham And Biscuits, Classic Quiche Lorraine, Candied Bourbon Bacon, Decadent Southern-style Cheese Grits, Strawberries Romanoff, Barbecue Bloody Marys, and Fresh Peach Bellinis.

HOW ARE BAVARIAN PANCAKES DIFFERENT THAN FRENCH CREPES?

Bavarian pancakes and French crepes are very similar, with a few minor differences.

They’re light and eggy with lacy, crispy edges and thicker than French crepes.

French crepes can be either sweet or savory, while Bavarian pancakes are usually eaten with whipped cream or Bavarian cream and fresh fruit.

Closeup of lemon blueberry Bavarian pancakes garnished with fresh blueberries and fresh mnt.

WHAT IS BAVARIAN CREAM?

You may be wondering what Bavarian cream is and if it’s worth going the extra step.  My answer would be a resounding YES!

A type of pastry cream, Bavarian cream is denser and richer in flavor.  Both Bavarian and pastry cream start by making an egg custard, but Bavarian cream is often thickened with gelatin so that it can be set into a mold.

For this recipe, we’ll skip the gelatin and lighten the bavarian custard with whipped cream.

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LEMON BLUEBERRY BAVARIAN PANCAKES

Perfect for Easter, these lemony, rich pancakes make a delicious addition to your holiday brunch.

  • Author: Millie Brinkley
  • Prep Time: 1 hour
  • Cook Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes
  • Total Time: 2 hours, 30 minutes
  • Yield: Serves 4
  • Category: Breakfast
  • Method: Pan-fry
  • Cuisine: German

Ingredients

Scale

For the pancakes:

  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 stick butter, for frying

For the Bavarian cream:

  • Peel of 1 lemon, white pith scraped off
  • 1 cup sugar
  • ¾ cup all-purpose flour
  • ¾ teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 ½ cups whole milk
  • 1 ½ cups half and half cream
  • 3 egg yolks
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon lemon extract
  • ½ cup whipping cream

To serve:

  • 2 cups fresh blueberries
  • Finely zested lemon rind, as garnish
  • Fresh mint leaves, as garnish

Instructions

For the Bavarian cream:

In a medium saucepan mix together the lemon zest, sugar, flour, and salt.

Gradually whisk in the whole milk, half and half, and egg yolks.

Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-low heat, whisking constantly, until the custard begins to thicken.

Remove the pot from the heat and whisk in the butter, vanilla, and lemon extract. Continue to whisk until the butter is melted and well incorporated into the custard.

Carefully remove the lemon peel and discard.

Spoon the mixture into a mixing bowl and cover with plastic wrap.

Cool completely.

Meanwhile, in the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the whipping cream until stiff peaks form. Don’t over whip the cream or you’ll have butter.

Gently fold the whipped cream into the lemon custard.

Store in a tightly covered container in the refrigerator until ready to use.

For the pancakes:

In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs and sugar until pale yellow.

Add the flour and mix until barely combined. You should see streaks of flour in the batter.

Slowly whisk in the milk and buttermilk until combined.  Don’t be concerned if the batter still has lumps.  This is normal.  Don’t overmix the batter.

Heat a 12-inch non-stick skillet over medium heat until very hot.  This is important.  Make sure the pan is very hot before adding the batter.

Add a pat of butter to the pan and allow to melt.  Swirl the butter to grease the entire pan.

Pour about a ½ cup of the batter into the pan and swirl the pan to allow the batter to cover the bottom of the pan.

Allow the pancake to cook and bubble along the edges.  Continue cooking until the middle is no longer shiny.

Flip the pancake onto a plate.

Continue with the remainder of the batter, using a pat of butter to fry each one.

To serve:

Spread a thin layer of Bavarian cream onto the pancake. Don’t spread the cream on too thick or the pancake won’t fold nicely.

Fold the pancake into fourths.  

Serve topped with fresh blueberries and a dollop of Bavarian cream.  

Garnish with lemon zest and fresh mint, if desired.

Keywords: lemon blueberry Bavarian pancakes, breakfast, brunch, pancakes, Bavarian cream, fresh blueberries, lemon pastry cream, Easter recipes