Two American breakfast classics are pancakes and cinnamon rolls. A typical stack of pancakes is usually served with lashings of syrup, butter, fruit, or cream, whereas the cinnamon roll already has its own sweet and gooey filling and needs no additions. Inspired by these two dishes, wonderful fall apples, and memories of my dad frying apples in butter, I created this recipe for a baked pancake as a celebration of American flavors in an old-school European style.
Ingredients
4 large apples
Juice of 1 lemon
¾ cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
¾ cup sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup heavy whipping cream
10 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon confectioners’ sugar
Maple syrup
Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Peel, core, and cut the apples into 2-inch slices. Place the slices in a bowl with the lemon juice (this will help keep the apples from turning brown). Set aside.
3. Sift the flour, baking powder, salt, and ½ cup of the sugar into a medium bowl. In a small bowl, mix together the remaining ¼ cup sugar with the 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon. In a large bowl, mix the whipping cream, eggs, and vanilla extract. Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture and whisk until thoroughly combined.
4. Melt the butter in a 14-inch ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add the apple slices and sauté for 5 minutes until they turn light golden brown but are still slightly firm. Add the cinnamon sugar and cook for 1 minute. Lower the heat to medium then pour in the batter, making sure to cover the apple slices. Cook until the edges of the pancake start to brown, about 5 minutes. Carefully place the pan in the oven for about 20 minutes and bake until the top of the pancake turns an even grown and has risen slightly. Serve with confectioners’ sugar and maple syrup.
GILL’S NOTES:
This cousin of a Dutch or German apple pancake will puff up a bit during baking because of the eggs in the batter. You can substitute firm pears for the apples in this recipe.
SERVES 8