It's probably not what you think. This baby is an apple rich eggy pancake, baked in the oven, where it puffs up dramatically, and then deflates once removed from the oven. My River City sis has been talking about these babies for years, so it was nice to finally enjoy some for breakfast.
As your oven preheats you caramelize peeled and sliced apples in butter and sugar. You also mix up a batter similar to a crepe batter. They used to use a blender but now mix the batter in a high sided bowl with a stick blender. It all goes together pretty quickly.
The fun begins when the batter hits the hot oven. Poof...the batter puffs up and almost overflows the pan. The bottom and sides brown up while the middle, full of apple slices, stays pale.
Serve the deflated baby in wedges, with powdered sugar like snow over the top. It is a sublime dish, buttery and not too sweet, with the mellow taste of cooked apples, too.
Apple Pancakes
from The Breakfast Book by Marion Cunningham
makes one puffy 10-inch pancake
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter
2 large apples, peeled, cored, and sliced (McIntoshes are good)
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
3 eggs, room temperature
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
About 5 tablespoons confectioners sugar (depending on the sweetness of the apples)
Preheat the oven to 435 degrees F.
Melt the butter in a 10-inch skillet or shallow pan and take off heat. If the handle of the skillet is not ovenproof, wrap it with several layers of foil. Remove 2 tablespoons melted butter and set aside in a small bowl.
Put the prepared apple slices in a large bowl with the lemon juice. Stir the cinnamon into the sugar and sprinkle the sugar mixture over the apples slices. Toss to mix. Put the skillet back on the stove and turn the heat to medium. Add the apples and cook, stirring often, for about 3 - 4 minutes, or until the apples are tender but still hold their shape.
In a separate bowl (or blender, or food processor) combine the eggs, salt, mil, and the reserved two tablespoons melted butter. Blend thoroughly. We find that a stick blender used in a bowl with high sides works really well. Once the mixture is blended, add the flour and blend/beat until smooth.
Spread the apples evenly over the bottom of the skillet and pour the batter on top. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until golden and puffy.
Turn immediately onto a warm platter so the apples are on top. Dust with a little confectioners sugar and serve at once.
Wonder if grandkids would go for these. I don't seem to ever be able to out guess mine.
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