Puffed Oven Pancake with Apples

I have been making this puffed pancake ever since my kids were little, but today I branched out a bit and used some of the apples we picked up in North Carolina to create a sweet base for my custardy pancake. And it was good -- I even won over my mom, who has declined this dish until today. In fact, when she smelled the apples cooking she asked what I was making and was definitely disappointed when I said "puffed pancake." That is, until she sat down with my good friend Barb and I to try it out. As Barb said, today she was a member of the clean plate club!

Puffed Oven Pancake with Apples

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Apple Mixture:
5 tart apples, peeled, cored and cut in thin slices
3 T butter
Pinch salt
1/2 t cinnamon
Dash nutmeg
1/4 C brown sugar

Saute apples in oven-safe pan (I use a cast iron pan) with butter and spices. When softened, add brown sugar and cook until syrupy (thick and not a lot of liquid). Put pan with apples in hot oven while preparing batter.

Pancake Batter:
3 T butter, melted
6 eggs
1 1/2 C milk
1 1/2 C flour
1/2 t salt
Optional: Dash cinnamon, dash nutmeg, 1/2 t vanilla extract

Combine eggs and milk in large mixing bowl and mix well. Add flour and salt gradually, as well as cinnamon, nutmeg and/or vanilla if desired. Whisk until fairly smooth but don't overbeat.

To Make Apple Puffed Pancake:
Drizzle melted butter over apple mixture in hot pan and then add batter.

Carefully move back into oven and bake for 10 minutes at 450. Reduce heat to 350 and bake for 10 more minutes until puffed and browned around edges.

Like a souffle, this will puff way up and then go back down once it's removed from oven.

If needed, you can test for "doneness" by inserting a knife which should come out almost clean.

Cut into pie-like slices and serve with butter and real maple syrup.

Variations: You can make this puffed pancake without any fruit at all, just pouring batter in the buttered hot pan and baking, or try other fruits. I love it all on it's own!