Mommy: Do you know what day it is?
Chorus: No.
Mommy: It’s Pancake Day.
Chorus: Pancake Day! Wow! Can we have pancakes?
Mommy: We’re going to have an apple cinnamon pancake.
Chorus: Yay! Yummy!
Top Gun: Mommy, we need more than one pancake!
Mommy: We are only making one pancake.
(Chorus silent. Probably planning how to get the most bites for themselves because obviously one pancake will not be enough to share.)
(Later, while watching Mommy pour the batter over the cooked apples.)
Chorus: Mommy, that’s not how you make a pancake!
Mommy: Just watch.
(Chorus watches through oven glass, enjoying how the pancake puffs up high and smells so good. As the pancake comes out of the oven…)
Chorus: (shouting over each other) Can I have a bite? Just one bite? I want an apple.
(The Chorus enjoys the pancake and asks for more until Mommy says to save some for Daddy. The Chorus protests loudly, but Mommy prevails and manages to save a bit for Michael.)
Chorus: Can we have another one?
Mommy: Maybe this weekend. (smiles)
Recipe Notes
Apfelpfannkuchen, aka German apple pancakes, are a traditional treat that make a delicious and fun weekend breakfast. The kids will enjoy preparing the apples and whipping up the batter. And watching it puff up in the oven is part of the fun.
German Apple Pancake (Apfelpfannkuchen)
Equipment
- small mixing bowl
- medium mixing bowl
- 10-inch oven proof pan or seasoned cast-iron skillet
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3 eggs (room temperature)
- 1/2 cup half and half (or whole milk)
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 apples (peeled, cored, thinly sliced (Tart apples such as Granny Smith or Empire work well.))
- 1 tablespoon firmly packed dark brown sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- pinch freshly grated nutmeg
Topping
- 1 lemon wedge
- confectioners sugar (for sprinkling)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 475° F/250° C.
Batter
- In the medium bowl, whisk together the flour and the salt. In the small bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk until frothy. Gradually whisk into the flour mixture, just until blended. Do not over beat.
Apples
- In the skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the apple slices and brown sugar, and saute until the apple is tender, about 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the cinnamon and nutmeg.
- Pour the batter over the apples and put the pan in the preheated oven. Bake until puffy and brown on the edges, about 10 to 15 minutes.
- Remove from the oven. Place and serving platter over the skillet, and quickly invert pancake onto the platter. You may also serve the pancake directly from the skillet.
- Squeeze the lemon juice on top. Dust with confectioners sugar. Slice and serve immediately.
Cute story, Andrea. I could just picture the munchkins standing in front of the oven watching.
What a beautiful and delicious looking pancake! I may have to make one after dinner. Your kids sound so cute and inquisitive!
Pancake turned out beautifully! Love the cute story…why are my children never so cute???
How cute! Quick question. I have always wanted to make a German pancake, but we don’t have a cast-iron skillet. Will it work out in a regular baking dish?
I have only recently discovered the single skillet pancake, and I am a true believer! So delicious, so heavenly-light, and so many variations! This looks great!
so cute! My kids would have loved to have pancakes this morning, I was not quite on the ball as you were. 🙂
Happy Shrove Tuesday (actually it’s Wednesday here now!) but I really enjoy these kind of pancakes.
OK I am a convert. I will try this tomorrow or Friday morning, It looks so delicious!
oh man this looks delicious, i am a sucker for good pancakes!
Yum! You make this pancake in a cast iron skillet just like me. I love the crispy edges that result.
Boy, it’s too late for breakfast here, but there’s always tomorrow, or maybe breakfast for dinner tonight.
great story…sounds much like something I’d hear at my house with my two boys (4 and 2). Recipe looks fantastic! I think I might make it tonight as a surprise for them! Thanks!