Pfannkuchen German Pancakes Recipes

APPLE PANCAKES: APFELPFANNKUCHEN

Steps:

• For the pancake batter: Sift the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt into a small mixing bowl and make a well in the center. Whisk the milk, egg, melted butter, and vanilla until smooth in a 1-quart measure. Pour into the dry ingredients, and whisk until creamy. Cover and let stand while you prepare the apples.
• For the apple mixture: Quarter each apple, then peel, core, and slice each quarter crosswise 1/8-inch thick, letting the slices fall into a large mixing bowl. Add the sugar mixture and lemon juice and toss well. Melt the butter in a heavy 12-inch skillet over moderate heat, then let it foam up and subside. Add the apple mixture and saute 2 minutes, stirring often. Pour in the water, reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook 5 minutes. Uncover, raise the heat to moderate and boil, uncovered, shaking the skillet often, for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes, just until all juices boil away. Scoop the skillet mixture into a 1-quart measure and reserve.
• Preheat the oven to 150 to 200 degrees F.
• To cook the pancakes: Generously oil the bottom and sides of a well-seasoned 10-inch omelet pan or spray with nonstick vegetable cooking spray and set over moderate heat for 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat, pour in a scant 1/3 cup of the pancake batter, and tilt the pan first to 1 side, then to another, until the batter coats the bottom of the pan in a thin, even layer. Set the pan on a hot pad on the counter, then by hand, arrange 1/2 cup of the apple slices on top of the batter in the pan, distributing them as evenly as possible. Pour in another scant 1/3 cup batter, covering the apples as uniformly as possible. Tilt the pan gently to distribute the batter more evenly, if necessary.
• Set the skillet over moderate heat and cook the pancake, uncovered for 1 minute. Reduce the heat to low and cook, uncovered, 2 minutes longer, until the pancake has dried around the edge and holes begin to appear on top. Spray a small, thin-bladed spatula with the cooking spray, carefully loosen the pancake around the edge, then shake the pan over the heat several times until the pancake moves freely. Quickly spray a large, flat round plate with the cooking spray and ease the pancake onto it right side up. Using potholders to protect your fingers, invert the omelet pan on the plate, then invert once again so the pancake is in the pan uncooked side down. Set over moderate heat and cook the pancake, uncovered, for 2 minutes. Slide onto a large round, ovenproof plate, cover with foil, and set in the warm oven. Cook the remaining pancakes the same way, recoating the skillet with cooking spray before each new pancake. As each new pancake finishes cooking, slide on top of the foil-covered pancake, top with more foil and return to the warm oven. When ready to serve, slide each pancake onto a heated plate and dust with vanilla sugar.
• Broiler method: Set the broiler rack 6 to 7 inches below the heating element and preheat the broiler. Follow the basic recipe, but be sure that the omelet pan or skillet you use has a flameproof handle. As soon as a pancake has browned 3 minutes in the skillet on top of the stove, transfer to the broiler and broil 3 to 3 1/2 minutes, until nicely tipped with brown. Carefully loosen the pancake around the edge with a spatula, ease right side up onto a large round plate, cover with foil, and keep warm. Cook the 3 remaining pancakes the same way. Dust with sugar and serve.

PFANNKUCHEN (GERMAN PANCAKES)

Steps:

• 1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. In a small dish, mix together the 1 teaspoon of cinnamon and 1 Tbs sugar to sprinkle over the apples.
• 2. In a skillet (mine is 10" cast iron), melt the butter. Core and slice the peeled apples into wedges. Saute them in the butter until softened, sprinkling with cinnamon and sugar. Reduce the heat so that the apples carmelize whilst you prepare the egg batter.
• 3. Whisk the eggs and 1/2 cup sugar together. Add the flour, baking powder and a pinch of salt until fully incorporated. Pour egg batter over the apples and cook over low heat until set up on the bottom. Move the skillet to the oven (I put the lower rack in the middle position) and cook until fully set - about 10 minutes.
• 4. Remove from the oven, turn out onto a plate or serving dish. Let sit for a couple of minutes before serving. Garnish with confectioner's sugar if desired.

BOBBY FLAY'S GERMAN PANCAKE (PFANNKUCHEN)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
• Whisk together the eggs, sugar and salt until smooth.
• Whisk in the milk, heavy cream and vanilla extract.
• Add the flour and whisk until smooth.
• Heat butter in a 9-inch nonstick pan or a cast iron pan, until melted.
• Stir in the brown sugar and cinnamon and cook until the sugar has completely melted.
• Add the apples and cook until slightly soft, about 8 minutes.
• Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon zest.
• Pour the batter over the apples and place the pan in the oven.
• Bake until the edges are brown and puffy, about 16-18 minutes.
• Carefully invert the pancake onto a serving platter.
• Dust with confectioners' sugar and drizzle with some of the caramel sauce.
• Caramel Sauce:.
• Place sugar and water in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat (do not stir), swirling the pot occasionally to even out the color, until amber in color, 10 to 12 minutes.
• While the caramel is cooking, place the heavy cream and cinnamon stick in a small pan and bring to a simmer over medium heat.
• Remove from heat and keep warm.
• When the caramel has reached the desired color, remove the cinnamon stick from the heavy cream and slowly begin adding the warm cream to the caramel and whisk until smooth.
• Remove from the heat and stir in the brandy.