Flammkuchen is a foolproof German flatbread pizza that's ready in only 30 minutes. The base of a Flammkuchen (flame cake) is the wafer-thin dough. And the secret to this recipe is that we use puff pastry to create the dough!
Maybe not as popular as Schnitzel or German Potato Salad, you will still find this recipe on many restaurant menus. Germans also like to serve as a brunch option.
What You’ll Need to Make this 'German Pizza'
It's quick and it's foolproof. Just roll out the puff pastry so it will be super thin and super crispy. Pinch it at the ends to make the crispy rolled crust.
Then cover the dough with a light layer of cream. Add some thinly sliced onions and then some bacon. I like to add parsley.
With only a handful of ingredients, this is a foolproof lunch for two, entertaining dish, or appetizer and will have your guests reaching for more. This recipe is as easy as 1-2-3 and ready in less than 30 minutes.
How To Make Flammkuchen Recipe
- Puff Pastry - instead of making a classic thin-crust pizza dough use puff pastry. This puff pastry results in one of the crispiest Flammkuchen you'll ever taste.
- Creme Fraiche or Sour Cream. Crème Fraîche is a dairy product that is similar to full-fat sour cream. It is popular in European cooking and you can find it in the dairy aisle in most larger American supermarkets. But if you can't find it, sour cream will work great as well.
- TOPPINGS - Onions, Bacon, Parsley
Prepping the dough
- Roll out the puff pastry until it is wafer-thin. Use just enough flour to keep the dough from sticking. Transfer the dough onto the parchment paper and the baking sheet.
Preparing the toppings
- Cut a large onion into very thin slices. Use one package on bacon and cut it into thin strips. Mince fresh parsley.
- Use a medium bowl and combine 1 cup of creme fraiche (or ¾ cup sour cream + 3 tablespoons of heavy cream) with the chopped parsley. Season with salt and pepper
Preparing the Flammkuchen
- Spread the cream onto the dough. Top with thinly sliced onions and sliced bacon strips.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes at 450° Fahrenheit slice and serve immediately.
Tips for Making This Recipe
Another delicious variation of this recipe is to use a good quality blue cheese like a Roquefort cheese and substitute red onions for the yellow onions.
Pair this Flammkuchen with a nice Riesling and enjoy!
Food Culture
Originally, from the Alsace region (it's called known as a tarte flambée in French) it used to be very popular in the German regions bordering France (Rheinland-Pfalz and Baden-Würtenberg). Today this recipe has become a staple all over Germany.
Flammkuchen - German Lesson
Like so many German nouns, 'Flammkuchen' is a compound noun.
"Flamm" means "flame" and "Kuchen" means "cake". So it's a cake that's cooked over a flame, hence the close relationship to pizzas and flatbreads.
Like always I'll try to pick English sounds to describe the pronunciation. Please remember this is for fun.
This time I think it should sound like 'Flamm-coo-chen' the
Craving more German Food?
Flammkuchen
Ingredients
- 1 sheet puff pastry
- 1 cup creme fraiche or sour creme
- ½ cup parsley chopped
- 1 large onion yellow or red
- 5 strips bacon
Instructions
- Defrost the puff pastry. Preheat the oven to 450° Fahrenheit. Cut a piece of parchment paper slightly smaller than the baking sheet.
- Roll out the dough onto the piece of parchment paper to form a wafer-thin base. Transfer the parchment paper with the rolled out puff pastry onto the baking sheet.
Preparing the Toppings
- Use a large onion and cut it into very thin slices. Mince fresh parsley. Use 6 strips of bacon and cut into ⅛ inch strips.
- Use a medium bowl and combine creme fraiche (or sour creme) and freshly minced parsley. Whisk until well combined. Season with salt and pepper
Making Flammkuchen
- Spread the cream cheese parsley mixture over the puff pastry. Top with the thinly sliced onions, and strips of bacon. Bake for 12-15 minutes at 450°.
Notes
Nutrition
Hi There, I’m Maike!
A German girl turned American sharing hundreds of easy, homemade comfort food recipes perfect for everyday cooking.
Volker
Great recipe. Everybody loved it!