My husband Todd is really fond of all things apple. I had found a recipe for an Apple Pancake in The Breakfast Book, by Marion Cunningham that I wanted to make for him as a surprise one day this week. I just knew it was something he would enjoy!
I decided to use my iron skillet as it was the right size and had an oven-proof handle. It came out of the oven all puffed up, but did deflate soon after.
It looked beautiful other than deflating, and I could hardly wait to tip it out onto the platter I had ready to serve it on. I had a lovely image in my head about how it was going to look . . . the apple slices all golden and caramelised . . . a froth of icing sugar dressing it up to perfection. I even ran a flexible spatula around the bottom of it just to make sure.
TA DA! Not quite what I had pictured in my mind.
It came out in pieces, albeit lovely golden brown pieces, with lots of sweet soft apple bits . . .
I don't think using a cast iron skillet was a very wise choice on my part. You live and you learn . . .
I wasn't going to throw it away because it wasn't perfect. It looked sort of like this Amish pancake scramble dish I have made on occasion, so I did what any great cook would do . . .
I dusted it with some icing sugar and I served it anyways. I think it looked rather nice with its frosty white coat!
It tasted amazing! Crisp edged pancake bits . . .
Soft and sweet slices of apple, flavoured with cinnamon and cardamom . . .
We ate it just as is and enjoyed. I didn't add any syrup or anything. I don't think it needed it.
I can imagine that breakfast sausage would go wonderfully with this . . .
It was really, really delicious!
Even if it wasn't the prettiest gown at the ball . . . it still made a mighty tasty show!
Yield: 4 (generously)Author: Marie Rayner
Apple Pancake
prep time: cook time: total time: A delicious combination of apples cooked in butter and a great big fluffy pancake!ingredients:
- 6 TBS butter, divided
- 2 large apples, peeled, cored and sliced
- 3 TBS lemon juice
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp ground cardamom
- about 5 TBS Icing Sugar
- 3 large free range eggs, at room temperature
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 70g plain flour (1/2 cup)
- 120ml milk (1/2 cup
- Icing sugar to dust
instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 230*C/425*F/ gas mark 7. Have ready a 10 inch oven proof skillet. If you need to, wrap the handle of the skillet in several layers of aluminum foil to protect it.
- Melt the butter in the skillet. Remove 2 TBS of the butter and set aside.
- Put the apple slices into a bowl with the cinnamon, cardamom, icing sugar and lemon juice. Toss together to coat. Taste and adjust sweetness as needed.
- Turn the heat back on under the skillet. Add the apple slices and cook over medium heat, turning occasionally, until tender, but still holding their shape.
- Whisk the flour, eggs, milk, salt and melted butter together until smooth.
- Spread the apples out in a single layer in the skillet. Pour the egg batter over top. Bake in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes, until puffy and golden brown. Turn immediately onto a warm platter so that the apples are on the top. Dust with icing sugar and serve immediately.
I learnt an important lesson from this exercise in taste . . . a light dusting of icing sugar can hide a multitude of sins, and just because something doesn't turn out looking the way you wanted it to, that doesn't mean its no good. This was quite simply delicious!
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If you're looking for something tasty to cook for your family this weekend you can't go wrong with this pancake. Broken up or whole, its simply delicious!