one giant pancake

When Kent and I were first married, I tore this recipe out of Gourmet Magazine because I liked the simplicity of it. It stated that it served 2, which is very hard to find when there really is just two of you eating (although it really serves 4). We both fell in love with the soft, eggy texture and crispy brown edges, and I (over)cooked the apples so they'd be soft too.

Sautéing the apples in butter gets this recipe off to a great start. Then the batter is blitzed in the blender and poured into the buttery apples and the whole pan is placed in the oven until the pancake is puffed and golden. Couldn't be easier or tastier.

Did you ever use to read Gourmet Magazine? I miss it and wish they were still in print. It's been the only cooking magazine (besides Cook's Illustrated) that I didn't second guess the end result. Every recipe, picture and article was a learning experience in the way food is made. Any magazines you wish were still in print?

Baked Apple Pancake

Recipe from Gourmet Magazine, November 2004 issue

Serves 4

Recipe Notes-

- I love Honey Crisp apples, so that’s what I used here. I’ve also used Pink Lady’s and Granny Smith’s before. Any hard, crispy, tart apple will work here.

- A blender and heavy-bottomed skillet (a well-seasoned cast iron works great here) that’s ovenproof is all you need to make this amazing breakfast.

Ingredients:

½ stick (¼ Cup) butter

1 large, sweet apple peeled, cored and sliced into ¼-inch-wide wedges (see Recipe Note above)

½ Cup whole milk

½ Cup all-purpose flour

4 Large eggs

3 Tbs. granulated sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

¼ tsp. salt

Confectioner’s sugar for dusting

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450° F and place a heavy-bottomed, ovenproof skillet (about 10-11-inches) on the stove. Keep a blender nearby for mixing the batter.

2. Heat the skillet to medium and melt the butter, then transfer 2 Tbs. to the blender.

3. Add the apple wedges to the skillet in an even layer. Turn the apples over once they’ve browned on one side and have started to soften, about 5 minutes.

4. While the apples are cooking, prepare the batter in the blender, adding all the rest of the ingredients, except for the confectioner’s sugar. Blend the ingredients just until smooth.

5. Pour the batter over the cooked apples and transfer the skillet to the oven. Bake until the pancake it puffed and golden, about 13-15 minutes. Dust with confectioner’s sugar and serve immediately.