Duck Pancakes: A Unique and Savoury Breakfast Treat

Duck Pancakes Recipe

Delicious Duck Pancakes: A Unique and Savoury Breakfast Treat

Are you looking to spice up your breakfast routine with something new and exciting? Look no further than the delectable and unique duck pancakes! This savoury twist on the classic pancake dish is sure to tantalize your taste buds and leave you craving more.

From: Saturday Kitchen Recipes

Ingredients:

For the Duck:

• 4 duck breasts (about 175g/6oz each)
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 tsp Chinese five-spice powder
• Salt and pepper to taste

For the Pancakes:

• 200g (2 cups) all-purpose flour
• 170ml (3/4 cup) boiling water
• 1/2 tsp Chinese five-spice powder
• 2 tbsp finely chopped spring onions/scallions

For Serving:

• Hoisin sauce
• 1 cucumber, julienned or cut into thin strips
• Spring onions/scallions, julienned or cut into thin strips

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F).
2. Rub the duck breasts with honey, five-spice powder, salt and pepper. Place skin-side up on a baking tray and roast for 20-25 minutes until golden brown and cooked through.
3. While the duck is roasting, make the pancake batter. In a bowl, mix together the flour, boiling water, five-spice powder and chopped spring onions until a dough forms. Knead briefly, then cover and let rest for 30 minutes.
4. Divide the dough into 16 equal pieces and roll each into a thin round pancake, about 15cm (6 inches) wide. Cook the pancakes briefly in a dry non-stick pan for 20-30 seconds per side until lightly puffed. Keep warm wrapped in a cloth.
5. Once the duck is cooked, let it rest for 5 minutes, then slice into thin strips.
6. To serve, spread some hoisin sauce on a pancake, add sliced duck, julienned cucumber and spring onions. Roll up and enjoy!

The key to great duck pancakes is properly roasting the duck until the skin is crispy, making thin pancake wrappers, and serving with classic accompaniments like hoisin, cucumber and spring onions. Adjust five-spice and other seasoning amounts to taste preference.

What are Duck Pancakes?

Duck pancakes, also known as “duck and pancakes” or “duck with pancakes,” are a delightful fusion of crispy duck meat and fluffy pancakes. This dish originated in China and has since gained popularity around the world for its delicious combination of flavours and textures.

The key ingredient in duck pancakes is, of course, the duck itself.

Typically, a whole duck is roasted until the skin is crispy and the meat is tender and juicy. The duck is then shredded or chopped into bite-sized pieces and served alongside warm, freshly made pancakes.

The Perfect Pairing

What makes duck pancakes so special is the contrast between the rich, savoury duck and the light, slightly sweet pancakes.

The crispy duck skin provides a satisfying crunch, while the tender meat melts in your mouth.

The pancakes act as a perfect vessel for the duck, soaking up the flavourful juices and providing a soft, doughy counterpart to the meat.

To enhance the flavours even further, duck pancakes are often served with a variety of condiments and accompaniments. Popular choices include hoisin sauce, scallions, cucumber slices, and even a drizzle of plum or duck sauce.

A Versatile Dish

While duck pancakes are traditionally enjoyed for breakfast or brunch, their versatility makes them a great option for any meal of the day.

They can be served as a main course for lunch or dinner, or even as a delicious appetizer or small plate for sharing.

Duck pancakes also lend themselves well to customization.

You can experiment with different pancake batters, such as whole wheat or buckwheat, or add your favorite herbs and spices to the duck marinade.

Some adventurous chefs even incorporate unique ingredients like hoisin-glazed duck or duck confit into their duck pancake creations.

If you’re finding it difficult to get the pancakes you could try making them yourself.

Homemade Pancake Wrappers for Duck Pancakes

To make the duck pancakes yourself , you will need the following ingredients:

Ingredients:

• 200g (2 cups) all-purpose flour
• 170ml (3/4 cup) boiling water
• 1/2 tsp Chinese five-spice powder (optional)
• 2 tbsp finely chopped spring onions/scallions (optional)
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp cooking oil (for brushing pan)

Instructions:

1. In a large bowl, mix together the flour, five-spice powder (if using), chopped spring onions (if using), and salt.
2. Create a well in the center and pour in the boiling water. Using a wooden spoon, gradually mix the water into the flour to form a shaggy dough.
3. Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5-8 minutes until smooth, elastic and not sticky, adding more flour as needed.
4. Cover the dough with a damp cloth or plastic wrap and let rest for 30 minutes.
5. Divide the rested dough into 14-16 equal pieces and roll each into a ball.
6. On a lightly floured surface, use a rolling pin to roll each ball into a very thin round pancake wrapper, about 6 inches (15cm) wide.
7. Brush a non-stick skillet lightly with oil and heat over medium-high heat.
8. Cook each pancake for 20-30 seconds per side until lightly puffed but not browned. Stack the cooked pancakes and cover with a cloth to keep warm and pliable.

The key is rolling the pancakes very thinly so they can be wrapped around the duck filling. The five-spice powder and spring onions add extra flavor. Use the pancakes right away or cover tightly and refrigerate for up to 3 days. They can be quickly reheated in a dry skillet before serving with duck, hoisin sauce, cucumber and scallions

Here are some of the best recipes for delicious duck pancakes:

Classic Peking Duck Pancakes

For an authentic Peking duck pancake experience, follow these steps:

1. Marinate and roast duck breasts with honey, Chinese five-spice powder, salt, and pepper until crispy on the outside and juicy inside.
2. Make thin pancake wrappers by mixing flour and boiling water into a dough, rolling into circles, and briefly pan-frying or steaming.
3. Serve the sliced duck with the warm pancakes, hoisin sauce, julienned cucumber, and sliced scallions/spring onions for wrapping.

Duck Pancakes with Plum Sauce

For a tasty variation, try duck pancakes with a sweet and tangy plum sauce:

1. Roast the duck breasts with honey and five-spice as above.
2. Make a plum sauce by simmering plums, sugar, soy sauce, five-spice, and water until thickened.
3. Prepare the pancake wrappers as described above.
4. Serve the sliced duck in the pancakes with the plum sauce, cucumber, and scallions.

Soy Sauce + Sweetener

One of the most common substitutes is a combination of soy sauce and a sweetener like honey, brown sugar, or molasses. This helps replicate the sweet and savoury flavours of hoisin sauce.To make this substitute:

• Use 1 part soy sauce
• Add 1-2 tsp sweetener like honey or brown sugar per 1/4 cup soy sauce
• Optionally add 1/2 tsp sesame oil and/or spices like five-spice powder for more authentic flavour

Barbecue Sauce

Barbecue sauce can work as a substitute, especially spicy or Asian-style varieties. The molasses base provides sweetness similar to hoisin. For best results, mix in some soy sauce and five-spice powder.

Plum Sauce

Plum sauce makes a good hoisin substitute due to its sweet-tart flavour profile. You may want to add soy sauce and spices like garlic, ginger, or five-spice to better mimic hoisin’s savoury notes.

Oyster Sauce

Oyster sauce has a thick, syrupy texture like hoisin and provides umami richness. However, it lacks the sweetness, so mix in a sweetener like honey or brown sugar.

Homemade Hoisin

If you have common pantry staples, you can make a quick homemade hoisin sauce by combining ingredients like soy sauce, vinegar, sweetener, sesame oil, garlic, and spices.

The best substitute will depend on whether you need to replicate hoisin’s flavour, texture, or both in your dish.

Soy sauce + sweetener is a simple option for flavour, while oyster sauce can provide better texture.