Based on the famous Walker Brother’s Original Pancake House recipe. This recipe doubles easily to make enough for a crowd.
- Prep: 30 min
- Cook: 1 hour
- Total: 1 hour 30 min
- Yields 1 amazing pancake, Serves 2 to 4
- Night Before (Optional)
- If you have small children or a hectic morning, measure dry ingredients into bowls. Cover and reserve.
- Base Batter
- Preheat oven to 300°F degrees.
- 4 eggs
- Beat eggs with an electric hand mixer on medium speed until foamy, about 2 minutes.
- ½ cup milk
- 2 tablespoons whipping cream
- Add milk and cream, beating until well blended, about 1 minute. Set aside.
- ¾ cup bread flour
- 1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons wheat gluten (optional)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
- Sift flour, confectioners’ sugar, gluten, salt and nutmeg together in a medium bowl. (The wheat gluten helps the pancakes rise more, but can easily be omitted.)
- Add one third of the flour mixture to the reserved egg mixture and beat on low speed to combine, about 2 minutes. Repeat with remaining flour.
- Let batter rest for 15 minutes. Continue with prep for apples and cinnamon topping.
- Apples
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- Melt butter in an 9-inch non-stick oven-safe skillet (cast iron preferably) over medium heat. (If doubling recipe, use a 12-inch skillet.)
- 2 large Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, cut into 1/4-inch slices
- Cook apple slices in skillet, turning occasionally, until apples begin to soften and sweat, but not brown, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl. Reserve skillet for assembly.
- Cinnamon Topping
- 4 tablespoons dark brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons superfine sugar
- 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon cornstarch
- Mix the brown sugar, superfine sugar, cinnamon, and cornstarch in a small bowl with a fork.
- 3 tablespoons butter, metled
- Slowly pour butter into the cinnamon-sugar mixture, stirring with a fork until completely mixed.
- Assembly
- Spread the cinnamon sugar mixture over the bottom of the now-empty skillet with a spatula.
- Layer the apples evenly over the sugar mixture. They should completely cover the bottom of the skillet.
- Pour the batter over the apples until the batter is ¼ inch below the rim or until you have used up all of the batter. Discard any excess batter.
- Baking
- Place skillet in the preheated oven. Reduce heat from 300°F to 250°F. Bake for 30 minutes to help batter set and pancake form. (If doubling the recipe for a 12-inch skillet, bake at 250°F for 40 minutes.)
- Remove from oven. Cover with foil to keep warm. Increase oven to 500°F.
- When oven reaches 500°F, remove foil and place pan back in oven. Immediately reduce the temperature to 450°F. Bake until pancake puffs up and the top edges turn a deep brown, about 12-15 minutes. Watch carefully during the last few minutes to ensure that it does not overcook. (If doubling the recipe for a 12-inch skillet, bake for 15-20 minutes.)
- Remove pan from oven and carefully invert pancake onto a platter or plate. Serve immediately.
From MakeBetterFood.com. Apr 20, 2012. (makebetterfood.com/recipes/walker-brothers-original-pancake-house-baked-german-apple-pancakes/). Adapted from Katz, Steven L. ‘Chicago’s Big Apple.’ (The Chicago Tribune, January 10, 2007). Augmented with notes found on Joelen’s Culinary Adventures.
