Choose a plain mix if you want to decide the dessert’s flavour with your own toppings, or a complete mix if you want to keep extra basic ingredients to a minimum when cooking for guests. A dessert-focused mix is a different starting point, but it isn’t automatically better suited to your evening. If you need to cater for allergies, check the packaging of both the mix and the toppings.
You’re looking for a base that works with the toppings and presentation you have in mind. Decide beforehand whether you want the mix’s flavour to stand out or would rather leave room for your own dessert ingredients.
You want to keep the extra basic ingredients to a minimum. According to Koopmans, you only need to add water to Koopmans Pannenkoeken Compleet. Always check the preparation instructions for any other mix.
First check whether both the mix and your chosen toppings are suitable for the allergens your guests need to avoid. Even if a product is labelled gluten-free, read all the information on the current packaging.
First decide what role the pancake will play in your Italian dessert evening: a simple base for your own toppings, a quick-to-prepare dessert, or a mix that meets specific ingredient requirements.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Dessert flavour and presentation | Check whether the mix is plain or already flavoured, and think about which toppings you want to use. | If I want to decide the flavour and look of the dessert course myself, I look for a base that won’t overpower my toppings. Around 36% of consumers put this choice of dessert toppings first. |
| Ease of preparation | Check what you need to add and how many pancakes the supplier says the pack will make. | When guests are nearly ready to sit down, I want to be able to make the batter without lots of extra basic ingredients. Convenience is the top priority for around 22% of consumers. |
| Allergens | Read the ingredients, allergen information and any ‘may contain’ warnings on both the mix and the toppings. | If a guest needs to avoid certain allergens, I want to know what’s in the entire dessert course. This check comes first for around 21% of consumers. |
| Ingredients and additions | Compare the type of mix, the pack size and any extra ingredients you’ll need for the batter. | I prefer to choose the base first, such as a standard or buckwheat mix, and include any extra ingredients in my plans. Around 21% of consumers say this is their priority. |
A standard pancake base won’t determine the flavour or presentation of your dessert on its own.
Choose your toppings first, then see whether a plain, complete or flavoured mix will work best with them.
You’ll need to plan and shop separately for toppings such as fruit, ice cream or dairy products.
A gluten-free mix isn’t automatically free from other allergens. Albert Heijn’s product information for Consenza Pannenkoekenmix lists milk, egg and lupin, as well as possible traces of other allergens.
Check the current packaging, and remember to include toppings and any ingredients you add to the batter in your checks.
According to Koopmans, Pannenkoeken Compleet only requires water, while Jumbo’s product information for Smaakt Bio Boekweit Pannenkoekenmix also lists eggs and milk. Preparation therefore varies depending on the mix you choose.
Read the preparation instructions and stated yield before buying, so you can work out how much batter you’ll need.
A shop’s range can change. A mix you’ve seen online before may not be available when you do your shopping.
Check what’s currently available just before you buy, and have an alternative type of base in mind.
A brand name alone tells you little about how a mix is prepared or whether it’s right for your dessert. Compare the specific variety and check the current label.
The pancake mix listed by Albert Heijn is positioned as a dessert-focused option.
Koopmans offers several pancake mixes, including complete and original varieties.
The range includes own-brand varieties and mixes from other brands, with different types of base.
Jumbo offers a plain own-brand mix as well as other types of base, including a buckwheat mix from Smaakt.
Lidl lists original and multigrain pancake mixes under the Belbake brand.
ALDI lists plain and multigrain pancake mixes under the Albona brand.
PLUS lists a plain packet mix, a complete mix and a pancake mix in a bottle.
These Koopmans mixes offer different starting points for a dessert with your choice of toppings: a complete mix for less preparation, an original base, a shaker and a multigrain variety. Choose based on the ingredients needed, the quantity you want and the flavour you’d like to add with your toppings.
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An option for a small dessert course when you want to keep extra preparation to a minimum and add flavour with your own toppings.
Complete pancake mix in a 210 g pack. If you’re catering for guests with allergies, check the current label and the toppings.
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A standard base if you want to create the dessert flavours mainly with your own toppings.
400 g pack. When preparing, remember to add ingredients such as milk and eggs, and check the current packaging if you need to cater for allergies.
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A shaker option for making a smaller batch of pancakes to serve with your choice of dessert toppings.
175 g pack. You’ll need milk to prepare it, so check that the quantity will be enough for your party.
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A multigrain base if you want to pair its grain flavour with your own toppings, rather than choose the most neutral-tasting pancake possible.
400 g pack. Allow for milk, eggs and cooking fat when preparing, and check the current label for allergen information.
No, it depends on the flavour you want to create with the pancake and toppings. Atelier Roger’s description at Albert Heijn mentions a soft centre and a lightly crisp exterior, but that product claim doesn’t mean a plain mix with your own toppings is unsuitable.
According to Koopmans, you only need to add water to Koopmans Pannenkoeken Compleet, and the brand says it makes 8 to 10 pancakes. For any other complete mix, read its own preparation instructions and stated yield.
Before using it, read the current label on the mix and check all the toppings and ingredients you plan to add as well. According to the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, allergen information for prepacked foods must appear on the label.
Not without checking the specific product and everything used to prepare it. Jumbo’s product information for Smaakt Bio Boekweit Pannenkoekenmix mentions possible traces of nuts, peanuts, sesame and soya. Eggs and milk are also added to the batter.
Compare the stated yield of the pack you’ve chosen with the number of pancakes you want to serve. Koopmans says Pannenkoeken Compleet makes 8 to 10 pancakes, but check the yield again if you choose a different mix or pack size.
