Pfitzauf – Popovers – Swabian Dessert Recipe

Pfitzauf - Popovers - Swabian Dessert Recipe

Pfitzauf is a traditional Swabian dessert – it’s delicious and easy to make. Pfitzauf is sugar-free and you can make it dairy-free by substituting milk with soy milk. Pfitzauf batter is like Flädle (pancake) batter, made with eggs, milk, flour and salt. It’s traditionally baked in a Pfitzauf pan but you can also use a muffin pan or ovenproof mugs. Pfitzauf is similar to popovers, Yorkshire pudding or pancake puffs.

History of Pfitzauf or Popovers

In the Victorian and Edwardian era, Pfitzauf-like desserts were called egg puffs, baked batter pudding or popovers.

GERMAN EGG PUFFS (Around-The-World Cook Book, 1913)

‘Flour, 2 cups, Milk, 2 cups, Eggs, 2 (well-beaten), Salt.

To the beaten eggs gradually add, beating in, the flour, milk, and salt. Have very hot buttered cups ready, fill half full of the batter, and bake about 25 minutes. These may be also used with a fruit sauce, as a dessert.’

POPOVERS (Around-The-World Cook Book, 1913)

‘Flour, 2 cups, Milk, 2 cups, Eggs, 3, Salt, 1/2 teaspoon.

First beat the eggs separately, then add the other ingredients, beat all together until quite smooth; pour into well-greased pans, and bake in a moderate oven for three-quarters of an hour.’

Old-Fashioned Pfitzauf - Popovers - German Dessert Recipe

BAKED BATTER PUDDING (The Young Housekeeper’s Friend, 1871)

‘Allow a pint of cold milk, four table-spoonfuls of flour, two eggs, and a little salt.

Stir the flour smooth in a part of the milk, then put in the eggs without first beating, and beat them well with the mixed flour. Then add the remainder of the milk, and the salt, and . when well stirred together, pour it into a buttered dish, and bake it half an hour. “When it is done, the whole top will have risen up. So long as there is a little sunken spot in the centre, it is not baked enough. Make a cold or melted sauce as you prefer. This makes an ample pudding for a family of four. A flour pudding will not be light unless it is put into the oven immediately on being made.’

BAKED BATTER PUDDING (The White House Cook Book, 1887)

‘Four eggs, the yolks and whites beaten separately, one pint of milk, one teaspoonful of salt, one teaspoonful of baking powder, two cupfuls of sifted flour. Put the whites of the eggs in last. Bake in an earthen dish that can be set on the table. Bake forty-five minutes; serve with rich sauce.’

BAKED BATTER PUDDING (Modern Household Cookery, 1854)

‘Beat separately yolks and whites of three eggs mix three tablespoonfuls of flour with half a pint milk a small piece of butter and some salt stir in the eggs Bake in a quick oven and eat with any sweet sauce.’

Pfitzauf Recipe

BAKED BATTER PUDDING (Mrs Beeton’s Household Management, 1861)

‘Ingredients. – 1 1/2 pint of milk, 4 tablespoonfuls of flour, 2 oz. of butter, 4 eggs, a little salt. Mode. – Mix the flour with a small quantity of cold milk; make the remainder hot, and pour it on to the flour, keeping the mixture well stirred; add the butter, eggs, and salt; beat the whole well, and put the pudding into a buttered pie-dish; bake for 3/4 hour, and serve with sweet sauce, wine sauce, or stewed fruit. Baked in small cups, this makes very pretty little puddings […] Sufficient for 5 or 6 persons.’

PFITZAUF (Kochbuch oder theoretisch-praktische Anweisung zur bürgerlichen und feineren Kochkunst, 1863)

‘Es werden 3/4 Pfd. Mehl mit 1 1/2 Schoppen Milch und 8 Eiern glatt gerührt dann gibt man 1/2 Pfd. zerlassne Butter und das gehörige Salz dazu und verrührt dieses zusammen recht gut hierauf werden die zu den Pfitzauf bestimmten irdenen Förmchen gut mit Butter ausgestrichen bis zur Hälfte mit der Masse gefüllt und dann in einem mittelheißen Ofen 1/2 Stunde langsam gebacken.’

Pfitzauf – Swabian Popovers – Recipe

  • 250 g flour
  • 1/2 l milk or soy milk
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 tbsp melted fat, butter or margarine
Pfitzauf - Popovers - Dessert Recipe
My grandmother’s Pfitzauf pan

Preheat the oven to 180-200°C/ 356-392°F. Grease the pan or mugs.

Whisk together milk, flour and salt. Beat in the eggs, then add the melted butter. Pour the batter into the pan or mugs until they’re half-full. Pfitzauf doubles or triples in size while baking.

Pfitzauf - Popovers - Swabian Dessert Recipe

Bake for about 1 hour. Serve Pfitzauf right away with stewed apples.

25 thoughts on “Pfitzauf – Popovers – Swabian Dessert Recipe

  1. Oh my goodness, your Popovers look amazing! Hope you are having a fantastic weekend and thanks so much for sharing your post with us at Full Plate Thursday!
    Miz Helen

  2. These are just like what we call yorkshire puddings as you say. We have them with roast dinner normally but I love the idea of having them with something sweet for a change.

  3. These look divine! I’ve been wanting a popover pan, but didn’t have any recipes to try, but now I do. Thanks so much for sharing at Melt in your Mouth Monday 🙂

  4. Loving it! Pfitzauf are delicious, very similar to the British savoury side dish of Yorkshire puddings, by the way, which I think your British sources might be referring to. I made them on the blog a while ago but my pictures are not hals as appetising as yours! Thank you for bringing these along to Fiesta Friday and for spreading the word about Swabian food!
    Ginger x

  5. What lovely popovers! It’s amazing how so many countries have different versions. In the UK, we have savoury ‘Yorkshire puddings’ that are served with gravy as a side dish with meat dishes. Essentially they are savoury popovers! I really like this tasty version. Thank you so much for sharing, and for being a part of the Hearth and Soul Link Party. Hope to see you again this week. The party is open now.

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