Yeast Pancakes (Czech Lívance)

Bohemian pancakes with yeast are a real treat that grandmas make for their beloved grandchildren. In Czech, these yeasted pancakes are called Lívance, and they represent a favorite sweet dessert. Let's dive into the recipe and make some Lívance together!

In this post: What are Lívance · Pronunciation · List of ingredients · Instructions with photos · How should the Lívance batter look like · Serving · Notes

In this particular recipe, I will show you how to make Lívance rolled in a cinnamon-sugar mixture. This is exactly what my grandmother Blažena used to make for us in the 80s when we spent our summer holidays with her.

MY TIP: Try out Palačinky, famous Czech crepes!

➜ Ingredients

For homemade pancakes made with yeasted batter, you need:

✅ You’ll find the exact amount of ingredients below in the recipe card, which you can also print out.

Kitchen equipment: 10-inch (25 cm) non-stick frying pan, a ladle with a capacity of at least half a cup, paper towels

➜ Instructions

STEP 1: In a small saucepan, heat a cup of milk until it is lukewarm (not hot). Add a teaspoon of granulated sugar and active dry yeast, then stir. Leave the mixture in a warm place for about 10–15 minutes until the yeast activates and foam with bubbles appears on the surface.

STEP 2: Pour the remaining lukewarm milk into a large bowl and add the eggs, sugar, flour, and salt. Finally, add the activated yeast mixture. Using a mixer with a whisk attachment, briefly whisk until everything is well combined. The result should be a thin, semi-liquid batter.

STEP 3: Place the bowl with the batter in a warm area to rise until it doubles in volume. Because the dough is light and fat-free, it should rise fairly quickly, reaching the desired volume within 45 minutes to an hour.

⤍ Learn how to make dough rise in the oven.

STEP 4: Heat a non-stick frying pan over medium heat and melt about a half tablespoon of butter in it. Using a ladle, scoop out about 1/4 cup of the raised batter and pour it into the pan. It should create a circle about 2-3 inches (5-7 cm) in diameter. The pancakes will puff up as they cook.

Depending on the size of your pan, you can fry multiple Lívance at once. Using a 10-inch pan, I was able to fry four pancakes at a time.

STEP 5: Fry the Lívance for about 1 minute on one side and then 30 seconds on the other. Once cooked, transfer them to a plate using a wooden flat spatula.

Carefully wipe the pan with a paper towel after each batch to remove any blackened bits and scorched fat.

I purposely used a stopwatch to measure the frying time for each side. My stovetop was set to 6 out of 9, and I fried the pancakes in unsalted butter.

STEP 6: Prepare coating mixture by combining powdered sugar and ground cinnamon in a large, deeper bowl. Thoroughly coat the warm pancakes with the cinnamon sugar.

➜ What should the yeast pancake batter look like?

The yeast pancake batter should have a semi-liquid consistency rather than being firm. When properly prepared, it will be filled with numerous bubbles, resulting in fluffy and perfectly soft pancakes. Use a ladle to pour the batter into the heated pan.

Count on the fact that the pancake batter needs time to make; it takes about 45-60 minutes to double in volume. 

➜ Serving

Czech Lívance pancakes are sweet. There are several ways of garnishing them before they go on the table. Here are some of our favorite pancake toppings:

• Coat the pancakes in a mixture of sugar and cinnamon.
• Decorate the top with jam and a scoop of sweetened sour cream.
• Add fresh fruit such as blueberries, strawberries, or raspberries.
• Lívance pancakes also taste great with plum butter (Povidla), crumbled Tvaroh (farmer's cheese is the best substitute for Czech tvaroh in the US), and powdered sugar.

Do you like this recipe? Also, you should try Beleše, Moravian yeast pancakes with plum butter and sweetened poppy seeds!

➜ The best pancake pan

The ideal frying pan for pancakes has a non-stick surface and a diameter that fits the size of the stove. The best choice is a frying pan with separate flapjack molds, ensuring perfectly round pancakes.

In the Czech Republic, such a pan with four or six "eyes" is called "Lívanečník." Old pans were often made of cast iron and featured various decorative ornaments. Czech grandmas would often hang these pans on the wall near the stove due to their frequent use.

➜ Useful tips

• Batter with yeast needs a warm spot to rise. Leave it near the stove you are cooking on, or put the bowl of batter in the oven with a pot of warm water on the bottom. A humid and warm environment makes the fermentation process wonders!
• Want to prepare Bohemian flapjacks for breakfast? I have a solution for you! Put the pancake batter in the fridge overnight. The cold will prevent rapid rising, and you will have perfectly raised batter ready to fry in the morning.
• Once the pancakes are fried, brush them with a mixture of melted unsalted butter and a tablespoon of spiced rum. The pancakes will get a wonderful flavor to please your taste buds.
• Czech Lívance are about the size of your palm. If you make them even smaller, they are called Lívanečky.

More Czech desserts:

• Dukátové buchtičky – little yeast buns with vanilla sauce
• Míša řezy – black & white Czech sheet cake
• Czech koláče – the very authentic Czech dessert
• Krupicová kaše – cream of wheat
• Puffed pancakes – Czech svítek
• Farmers cheese pancakes – tvarohové placky

TIP: Lívance could be also a part of a typical Czech breakfast!