Berlin's Biggest Pfannkuchen

Berlin doesn't do donuts very well. When you can get them, at bakeries or supermarkets, they always look days old and way too pale. Dunkin' Donuts is in Berlin, but so far I have refused to go there. 

I'm racking my brain to think if I have even EVER eaten a donut in Berlin. I don't think I have.

What I have eaten however, are Pfannkuchen, German donuts :) Basically they are jam filled donuts, no hole.

So - some time back I was looking into donuts (the search term was probably 'XXL donuts') and I ran across an old article about a bakery that made large pfannkucken. The bakery, 'Bäckerei Ladewig', were reported to make these giant Riesen Pfannkuchen, reportedly weighing in at 500g, and I was happy to see they were in nearby Kreuzberg.

The process to actually eating one was much lengthier than I would have expected. I had it in my head that I wanted to try these things fresh, which meant getting up early in the morning. That's a hard thing to do....plus, who really wants to eat a huge sugar bomb first thing in the morning?

So the first step was to actually check out if the bakery still made the big Pfannkuchen. I made a trip there...they did. Because it was late, I didn't get one, fearing it might be stale. I wanted to savor the experience!

Things got in the way and soon it was weeks, or even months, before I got there again. I woke up early(ish) on a Sunday morning and rode down to the bakery in Kreuzberg. I locked my bike up with sugary anticipation and marched into the bakery to finally pick up the big thing....but, there was none there!!! I don't know if they were sold out or they just don't make them on Sundays. In my disappointment I had failed to ask. What a letdown.

Life got in the way again (well, actually, sleeping in got in the way) before I was ready to give it another crack. Eventually we made it down there early(ish) and yesssssssssss the Pfannkuchen were there. Concerned that they might not be fresh, I asked if the goods were freshly baked that day, obviously insulting the baker somewhat. She assured me they were.

Two sorts were available, sugar dusted or iced. We went for sugar dusted. Cost - 3.45€

Of course we had to have a hot drink accompaniment. Waiting for the coffee and tea to be prepared only served to build the suspense.

Finally, seated with drinks and the giant Pfannkuchen, I started to worry that there would be no way such a huge thing could be fried to perfection.

Holding it in my hands finally was a philosophical make or break moment, holding my hopes and dreams finally before me. Please don't let me down!

I bit into it, the sugar sticking into my stubble, all over my cheeks and over my nose (it's that big)....and yeeeeeeeeesss, it's bloody good!

I've had my fair share of 'not so fresh' Pfannkuchen, and this one was probably the best and freshest I've had. Despite its size and weight, it remained moist and fluffy throughout.

The filling for this one was 'Pflaumenmus', a tart plum jam type of thing. Due to the largeness and sweetness of the Pfannkucken, the tartness of the Plaumenmus was a welcome balance. Bravo.

People that know normal store bought Pfannkuchen know that the filling is usually pretty stingy. Not so in Bäckerei Ladewig's Riesen Pfannkuchen.

The bakery had lots of other good stuff that I'd like to try, but I don't know if I will get to it as next time I will need to sample the iced Riesen Pfannkuchen. But someday I'll have to work my way through it all.

Bäckerei Ladewig

Oppelner Str.  4-5

10997 Berlin

Opening Times:

Mo-Fr	5:00-19:00
Sa	6:00-19:00
So	8:00-17:00