Friday, February 25, 2011

It's About Taste Not Looks

I made this awhile back when I first got my new camera in October. I didn't really know what I was doing with the camera so I just turned it on, adjusted a couple settings and started shooting. For the most part, the pictures turned out okay, but you could tell I was still practicing :-). The white balance on them is a little off and some of them were way blurry, but it was really good and that's what really matters, right? It's about how it tastes, not how it looks.

I had my first Dutch Baby Pancake at The Original Pancake House with my mom back in July for her birthday. I liked it, but it was different than anything I've ever had- it's a little custardy, and light, and served with lemon. That seemed strange to me, but it works. I wasn't sure my husband would really be fond of this, but if I served it caramelized, cinnamon-y apples??? Oh yes, he'd be delighted to eat it. And he was!

You can make this puffed apple pancake one of two ways. You can bake the fruit into the batter, or you can serve the fruit in the well of the pancake after it's cooked. I think any cooked stone fruit, apples or pears would be good with this, as well as fresh berries or bananas. We really liked this one and it was fairly simple to make. The only thing I would change next time would be to make more apples for topping. They were delicious! Hope you'll give it a try this weekend.

Puffed Apple Pancake adapted from Dinner With Julie

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  • 2 apples or pears
  • 1-2 Tbsp. canola oil
  • 1-2 Tbsp. butter
  • 1-2 Tbsp. sugar
  • Pinch cinnamon
  • 3 large eggs
  • 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup milk
  • Powdered sugar and lemon slices, for serving

Preheat the oven to 450°F.

Peel (if you want), core and slice the apples. In a large skillet (if you have an ovenproof one, use it), saute the apples in the oil and butter over medium heat for a minute or two. Sprinkle them with the sugar and cinnamon and cook until they start to turn golden and begin to soften. Remove the apples from the heat.

Whisk together the eggs, flour, and milk. Don’t worry about getting all the lumps out. Now you can proceed one of two ways: 1) Pour the batter over the apples in the skillet and put it in the oven. (If you don’t have an ovenproof skillet, pour the sauteed apples into a deep dish pie plate and pour the batter over them.) The apples will bake straight into the pancake, but it won’t rise quite as high with the fruit inside; or 2) Remove the apples and set them aside to serve on top, then pour the batter into the hot pan. This way the pancake will rise even higher and look more dramatic.

Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the pancake is puffed and golden. Cut it into wedges and serve warm with the fruit and a sprinkling of powdered sugar.

Serves 4.

Puffed Berry Pancake: Omit the apples altogether. Drizzle the ovenproof skillet with a little oil, and pop it in the oven for a few minutes to heat up. Pour the batter into the hot skillet and bake as directed. Fill the puffed pancake with fresh berries or other sliced fruit, and serve with syrup or vanilla yogurt for breakfast or for dessert with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

27 comments:

Unknown said...

Monica, you make me want to lick the computer screen. I LOVE D. B pancakes with lemons and apples! Thanks for sharing, I might make this on an extra WW point day!

Holly said...

I bet this was soo yummy-I can almost taste it;)

Priyanka said...

Awesome..... tasty.

cocoa and coconut said...

Yup! They say it is about what's on the 'inside' that counts. This looks delicoius inside!

Everyday mom said...

This looks so yummy! I love dutch pancakes, they are so versatile I like filling them with veggies in the summer.

Anonymous said...

Beautiful~! I may have to try this Saturday morning! Thanks for sharing!

Patricia @ ButterYum said...

Despite the fact that the camera was new to you, the pics are awesome!!

I hope you have a great weekend!

:)
ButterYum

Anonymous said...

This is such a funny looking dessert! I love the sound of it though. Mmm.

Kim said...

I love these pictures and this meal looks great!

Heather S-G said...

Want it! And I think it looks beautiful =)

Keeley said...

Mmm... I have some apples sitting in the fridge and some bananas that are starting to turn brown. I think I'll surprise my better half with this tomorrow!

Maria said...

Looks good to me! I love apples!

oneordinaryday said...

I've never had a Dutch baby pancake, but this looks really good. I have got to get a cast iron skillet, darnnit!

From the Kitchen said...

I've had that Dutch apple pancake at the Original Pancake House. In fact, I think it is the original Original in Evanston, IL. It's delicious and enough for four!! With cinnamon? Yes, please!

I'm still using my new camera on Auto but please don't tell anyone.

Best,
Bonnie

Unknown said...

Looks like perfection to me! I refuse to read my manual! LOL

tamilyn said...

We used to have a Pannekooken Huis (sp?) here and we have had the puff pancakes, but never the dessert type. I can almost smell it from here....

michelle's 10 things said...

I tried your "Rustic Tomato Tart" this week. We loved it. The warm gooey cheese was great. I posted a link on my blog, to your recipe. Thank-you for sharing.

Julie said...

I love that picture of the whole pancake with the apples in it...looks SO yummy!

Unknown said...

I think it looks delicious! I want a bowl of those apples!

Debbie said...

Love it Monica...I think that pancakes and the fruit look delicious! That is one delicious looking meal for anytime!

elle said...

What a beautiful cake! My favorite cookbook is Worldwide Ward Cookbook. lauwil07 at gmail dot com

Ingrid_3Bs said...

Well, you know this baby gets eaten on a regular basis at my house and you KNOW carmelized bananas are the way to go. lol, though the kiddos do like it with berries and cream. :)

I'm gonna try your fruit baked in way for this weekend's Dutch Baby.
~ingrid

Natasha @ Saved by the Egg Timer said...

We make these too and cal them Finnish Pancakes because we are finnish and make them the same....same area of the world anyway, haha. I love leaving the peel on too, easier and good. Pour a little fresh cream and I am happy.

Healthy and Homemade said...

YUMMO!!! I think it looks awesome =) I wish I could eat the computer screen, ha ha.

shama said...

incredible creations MOnica i really like to bake all of them...so now that i have my own blog but in spanish it is good oportunity to show your creations to all my spanish spoken friends...hope you join my blog to...and also i have another recipe for MIGAS but the mexican style...take a look at my blog and nice to meet you...Congratulations

Shama said...

i love your blog and recipes very alike mines...maybe because both live in SoCal, and you are so pretty too congratulations

Rug Cleaning Los Angeles said...

How cute is this!?? It looks like apple pie, mmmm!

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