It’s
time we talked about pancakes! While pancakes
are traditionally considered a breakfast staple in the States, Romanians see
them as an unceremonious yet utterly tasty, usually-mid-week-kind of sweet. Or at least that’s what they are in my
family. Yes; in my grandma’s home,
pancakes are always a mid-week-jackpot dessert, fairly similar to French crêpes
but lacy and soft, and usually stuffed with sweet, jammy fillings including homemade
apricot preserve or with sweet cheese and raisins on occasion. And then, there are these delightful Apple Pancakes, a traditional Saturday
sweet treat in my grandma’s kitchen!
With
fall in full swing, markets are flooded with apples and I’ve loaded up on my
fair share of this season’s favorite fruit.
My apple of choice is honey crisp and I’ve stocked up on it like there’s
no tomorrow. There’s something decisively
sublime about its pleasant balance of tart and sweet that other apples don’t quite
possess. So, what better way to showcase
their sweetly crisp flavor than in light and cottony apple pancakes?
These
apple pancakes are neither thick nor spongy, but are nothing short of brilliant
either. They are simple, little pockets
of tender, pillowy dough that effortlessly hold tart and crisp pieces of apple. Once out of the sizzling skillet, the
pancakes are lightly dusted with nicely perfumed cinnamon-sugar that gently
turns into a thin, caramelized glaze as it melts, nestled in between the
blistering pile of golden pancakes. The
best part – they are mighty fabulous for a relaxed dessert, and impossibly
delicious with a generous drizzle of maple syrup for a satisfying breakfast. And truth be told, there’s nothing more inviting
and comforting than the charming aroma of freshly cooked apples and steaming
pancakes invading every little corner of the house on a cold, fall day!
Before
I leave you with this delightful recipe, I’m overdue with a proper and very big
“Thank You!” to the incredibly talented Carla Sue, who writes at the wonderful
and sinfully sweet blog, Eat Sweet.
Carla Sue has nominated my blog for the Sisterhood of the World Bloggers
Award! I’m deeply honored, excited and
lucky to be considered for this lovely award by a fellow blogger and friend who
lives half a world away and whose sweet words, creations and gorgeous pictures
always leave me drooling and hungry for more!
Again, thank you so much for nominating me, Carla Sue!
Apple Pancakes
By
Simply Romanesco inspired by my Grandma Vicki
Makes:
about 20 pancakes
Ingredients for the pancakes:
·
2 heaped cups (500 ml) whole milk
·
2 large eggs, at room temperature
·
3 heaped Tablespoons (60 grams) granulated
sugar
·
1/8 teaspoon salt
·
½ teaspoon baking powder
·
Scant 2 ¾ cups (370 grams) all-purpose flour
·
1 large or 2 small apples, cored, thinly
sliced (about 1/8-inch) and cut into ½-inch pieces
·
Olive oil or vegetable oil for cooking
Ingredients for the cinnamon-sugar mix:
·
½ cup (115 grams) granulated sugar
·
1 ½ teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions for the cinnamon-sugar mix:
In a
small bowl, mix together the sugar and cinnamon and whisk well to combine. Set aside.
Instructions for the pancakes:
In a
large bowl, whisk together milk, eggs, sugar, salt and baking powder. Gradually, add the flour to the milk and eggs
mixture stirring constantly until the flour is fully incorporated, and you have
a slightly thicker batter without any lumps and traces of flour.
Add
the sliced apples and gently mix them into the batter.
In a
nonstick skillet, heat about 1 ½ teaspoon of olive oil over medium heat. Fill a 2.5-inch ladle with the pancake and
apple batter (have 2 pieces of apple per pancake) and gently pour it into the
pan. Cook pancake for 1-2 minutes per
side until golden-brown. Repeat with the
rest of the batter adding about 1 teaspoon of oil per pancake. If the pan gets too hot, turn the heat down
to medium-low.
Place
cooked pancakes on a platter and sprinkle each pancake with 1 teaspoon of the
cinnamon-sugar mix.
Poftă
Bună! (Bon Appétit!)
