My dad has MANY gifts, but cooking is not one of them. Actually, I'm not sure when I last saw him in the kitchen except to mix up a batch of cocktails or open a bottle of wine....he's a heck of a bartender! But, back to why this is Dad's Puffed Cinnamon-Apple Pancake. As a teenager, I was somewhat strange, in that I did not sleep-in. One of the great qualities I inherited from my dad is I am a morning person...have been my whole life (much to the chagrin of my co-workers over the years). I'm always happy, chatty and smiley in the morning...while others need a little longer to get going, shall we say. So, in high school and weekends when I was home from college, my dad and I would make this pancake together before the rest of the house was moving. By the time it was ready, the lovely smell wafting through the house would rouse my, not morning person mother, to embrace the new day. She quite fancies Dad's Puffed Cinnamon-Apple Pancake.
Having mentioned that my dad does not cook should already signal that this is an easy recipe! A few simple ingredients and possibly a happy helper and you're on your way to a delightful weekend breakfast, which by the way, reheats well for weekday mornings!
Ingredients:
1 stick of butter
⅓ cup sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 large apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
4 eggs
1 cup flour
1 cup plus 2 Tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
Powdered sugar or maple syrup for serving
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
- In a cast-iron skillet or other oven-safe skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat.
- Stir in the sugar and cinnamon.
- Add the apples and cook, stirring, until the apples are translucent, about 7 minutes.
- Meanwhile, beat the eggs, then add the flour, milk, and vanilla. Whisk until the batter is smooth.
- Pour the batter evenly over the apples in the skillet.
- Bake 15 minutes or until the pancake is puffy and golden brown.
- Serve with powdered sugar or maple syrup.