Dutch apple pancake, February 2011
When we lived in the Twin Cities my husband and I liked eating and getting together with friends at a local restaurant chain, Pannekoeken Huis. The restaurant’s specialty was, naturally, pannekoeken (panna-kooken)—sugary, eggy oven pancakes. At the restaurant, every now and again servers in Dutch costume would dash out of the kitchen with small skillets calling out, “Pannekoeken!” to clear a path so as to serve the golden, puffed-up pancakes before they lost their air. A couple of the restaurants are still open in Rochester, Minnesota, but we’ve been able to enjoy the dish at home because years ago my sister gave me this recipe for Dutch apple pancake. And when I serve it, I sometimes think to say under my breath, “Pannekoeken!” when moving the puffy pancake from oven to table.
This recipe can be made gluten-free simply by using white and brown rice flours instead of all-purpose white flour. If you don’t have an oven-safe skillet, you can use two round cake pans, putting half the ingredients into each pan.
This makes a wonderful brunch served with a little maple syrup and ham, sausage, or bacon.
DUTCH APPLE PANCAKE
Active time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 20-25 minutes
Servings: 3-4
4 eggs
1/4 cup butter
3/4 cup flour (for gluten-free, use 1/4 cup white rice flour and 1/2 cup brown rice flour)
3/4 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 medium apples, peeled, cored, and sliced thin
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup sugar
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Place the butter in an oven-safe skillet. Place skillet in oven to melt butter and preheat skillet.
While butter is melting, in medium bowl, beat eggs, flour, milk, and salt, by hand or with an electric beater for 1 minute. Prepare apples. Using a pot holder, remove skillet from oven and place apple slices in melted butter in skillet. Pour batter over apples. Sprinkle cinnamon and sugar over the apples and batter. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until puffy and golden. Cut into wedges and serve piping hot with maple syrup.
