Apple Dutch Baby Puff Pancake

My daughters and I were discussing pancakes the other day. Well, we really were discussing our dislike of pancakes.

Maybe the reason why I don't like traditional pancakes is because I'm not good at making them.  I don't flip them, I destroy them.

Or maybe the reason why I'm not good at making pancakes is because I just don't like them.

However, I'll take a Dutch Baby Puff Pancake any day.

Especially if it's an Apple Dutch Baby!

You could whip one of these up in the same amount of time that it would take you to measure, mix and pour a batch of traditional pancakes.  And as far as flipping goes---no flipping required!



Today's Playlist

• "Kick Drum Heart"...The Avett Brothers
• "She"...Green Day
• "Dirty Little Secret"...The All-American Rejects
• "All Day And All Of The Night"...The Kinks
• "That Time Is Gone"...The dB's
• "Listen To Her Heart"...Tom Petty
• "Run-Around"...Blues Traveler

Apple Dutch Baby Puff Pancake (Serves 2-4)
Printable Recipe

• 3 Granny Smith apples (peeled, sliced & roughly chopped)
• 5 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 cup sugar, divided (3 tablespoons plus 1 tablespoon)
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 3/4 cup flour
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 5 eggs

optional:  confectioners sugar for topping

Gather your ingredients.  Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

Peel your apples.  Slice the four sides off.  Discard the core.

Thinly slice into 1/8-inch slices.  After all of your apples have been sliced...

...roughly chop the slices into pieces approximately 1-inch long.  Don't stress about being exact here! Just roughly chop and then move on.

Place the butter into a deep oven-proof skillet (or a pie plate), and place the skillet into your oven for 3 minutes or so (until the butter melts).

While you're waiting for the butter to melt, mix your spice ingredients.  In a small bowl, place 3 tablespoons of sugar, and the cinnamon and nutmeg.

Stir with a fork to combine.

Check your skillet in the oven to see if the butter has melted.

Remove your skillet with the melted butter from the oven.  Swirl it around to make sure the bottom of the skillet is coated with butter.

Sprinkle the brown sugar over the butter.

Sprinkle the apples over the brown sugar/butter.

Sprinkle the spice mixture over the top of the apples.  Put the skillet back into the oven for 12 minutes.

Place the flour, remaining tablespoon of sugar, salt and nutmeg into a medium bowl.  Whisk to combine.

Add the milk, whisking constantly (or use a hand mixer on a low speed) until incorporated. 

Add the vanilla and beat in the eggs, one at a time.

Whisk vigorously for two minutes (or, if using a hand mixer beat on medium speed for one minute), until the mixture becomes a bit foamy.  Set aside until the apples are ready.

When your oven timer goes off, check your apples.  You'll know they are ready if the sugar is bubbling around the edges.

Pour the milk/flour batter over the apples.  Continue to bake for approximately 21 to 24 minutes--the center should be set and the sides will be nicely browned and really puffed up.

Like this!

After you take it out of the oven it will quickly deflate.

Give it a couple of minutes for the steam and hot air to escape--it will be easier to slice and serve when it's not all puffed up.  

You can tell by looking at this picture that the pancake has seriously de-puffed in five minutes since it was removed from the oven!

Serve it warm.  Apples and cinnamon taste best when warm, don't you think?

Add a dusting of confectioners sugar if you like.

Or you can top it with a bit of whipped cream.  Or ice cream!

Enjoy.