Puffed Apple Pancake. (aka Apple Dutch Baby)

May 13, 2010

Puffed Apple Pancake. (aka Apple Dutch Baby)

I realize I should be posting this recipe in the fall, since it is more of a fall or winter dish than spring or summer. But you can easily update it for spring by making it with strawberries and in summer by making it with peaches, nectarines or blueberries. (Or how about peaches and blueberries together!) If you use strawberries I wouldn't cook them first as I would with the other fruits. I would still combine them with the sugar and lemon juice but I'd just toss them in. Same with Blackberries. Blueberries could go either way. Peaches, nectarines, pears, plums, etc. I would cook beforehand just like the apples.

I know I wrote this recipe when we were in North Carolina, but I must have updated it when we lived in Hawaii because it says 1999 on the bottom of the recipe.

Important tip for this recipe: be sure to preheat the oven to 425 degrees. This will not "puff" if your oven isn't hot!

Puffed Apple Pancake

Serves 4

for the filling:

2 apples, peeled. cored and sliced (peaches, nectarines, blackerries, blueberries, etc. can be substituted in their season. Maybe omit cloves if you use peaches)

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

3 tablespoons firmly packaged light brown sugar

3 tablespoons granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

pinch of ground cloves, ginger or allspice

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

for the pancake:

5 large eggs

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup milk

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

pinch of kosher salt or sea salt

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Powdered Sugar for sprinkling over the pancake

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

2. In a bowl combine apples, lemon juice, brown sugar, white sugar, cinnamon and cloves. Set aside to sauté while the pancake is in the oven.

3. Make the pancake: Heat a heavy 10-inch proof skillet in the oven for 5 minutes. (9 x 11 glass casserole dishes or ceramic baking dishes can be substituted for the skillet.) If using a skillet be sure the handle is oven proof (i.e not plastic.) Also, be sure if the handle is metal that you use an oven mitt so you don't burn your hand on the handle. (Some people just grab the handle without realizing it will be scorching hot!)

4. In a bowl whisk the eggs until smooth. Gradually add the flour while continuing to whisk so there are no lumps. (Some people do this in a blender, but I'd rather wash a bowl then a blender, so I make it in a bowl.) Add milk, sugar, vanilla, and salt and whisk to form a smooth batter.

5. Remove the skillet or casserole dish from the oven and set it over medium heat on the stovetop. Add the butter and let it melt and then immediately pour all the pancake batter into the skillet. Spoon the apple or fruit mixture evenly on top of the batter. Return the skillet to the oven and bake the pancake for 15 to 20 minutes or until puffed and golden.

6. While the pancake is in the oven, sauté the apples in a pan. Begin by melting the butter, add the apple mixture and cook stirring occasionally and turning the apples over for about 5 minutes. Put the hot apples over the Puffed Pancake when it comes out of the oven.

8. Sprinkle the top with powdered sugar and serve immediately.