Apple Puff Pancakes

So I have been on hiatus for a year and a half.  Wow, I wasn’t planning on taking that long of a break!  During my absence, I put off renewing my website domain name.  Actually, it was more of a lapse on my part, one of those I’ll-get-to-it-when-I-have-a-free-moment kind of lapses.  However, when I did get around to renewing it about a month later, not thinking too much about any repercussions that might have ensued, I was quite shocked that my blog name was no longer available.  WHAT??? I’ve had this blog name for 4 years. Four long years! After some investigating, a friend figured out someone from Japan had snatched up my name.  I am sure this person was waiting for me to BEG for my name back, at any price, but this only fueled my complete annoyance at this person (and complete annoyance is an understatement).  (By the way, if you do go to the website, it has absolutely nothing to do with baking.  Just warning you.)

But truth be told, I wasn’t fully sold on my web name.  It does come from my favorite novel, Pride and Prejudice, but my idea many years ago of starting a side business of baking out of my home came with too many bumps in the road.  So while creating a new blog name, I thought about what I wanted this blog to be, how often I would like to post, and what creative outlet I wanted it to serve.  With that in mind, I decided to just simply call it Holly Bakes, because, well, that’s mostly what I do on this blog.

I can’t guarantee that I’ll post every week, as I have two young kids and work full-time, but I can guarantee that what is put on here is fantastic food and something I hope you’ll try and share with your family.  And if you do, I’d truly love to hear from you.  Sometimes writing and sending posts out into cyberspace feels like such a lonely vacuum.  So, without further adieu, here is my first post in a year and a half.  Enjoy! xoxo

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We went to an apple orchard on a dreary, drizzly, October day.  Actually, this is quite common for the Northwest, so we were prepared with raincoats, umbrellas, and goulashes.  My parents have friends who own this orchard and had a fun morning planned for kids; both Matthew and Grace had a blast riding in a four-wheeler, eating delicious applesauce, and picking what apples they could reach.  I couldn’t help but laugh at Grace as she tried carrying the bucket full of apples as we moved our way down the row of trees.

I think their favorite part was eating the apples they picked and stomping in the mud.  Because after all, what isn’t better than hearing and feeling the squishiness of mud under your feet?

This was my favorite part of our trip.  There are just some things children spontaneously do that melt your heart. Ahhh…

So with all these apples, I made pancakes.  They are kind of like a Dutch Baby, but with apples.  My husband and kids loved the maple syrup drenching the pancake, but I just preferred a dusting of powdered sugar. Either way, it’s very delicious and a great way to use up some of the 10 pounds of apples we picked. :)

Apple Puff Pancake

Printable Recipe

¼ c unsalted butter (½ stick)

½ c packed brown sugar

1 t ground cinnamon

½ t nutmeg

1 apple, cored and thinly sliced (peeled or not peeled)

5 large eggs

½ c milk

½ c flour

¼ t salt

¼ t vanilla

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Once oven is heated, place the butter and brown sugar in a 9-inch glass pie plate and put in oven until butter is melted and brown sugar is bubbly–about 7 minutes.  Remove from oven and stir well.  Add apple slices and stir to coat apples evenly.  Return to oven for two minutes.

While apples are baking, add remaining ingredients in a food processor and process about 1 minute, or until mixture is very frothy.  Remove apples from oven and pour egg and milk mixture over the apples.  Bake for 18-20 minutes.  The center should be set and pancake is puffy.  Let cool slightly before serving.

Serve with maple syrup and a dusting of powdered sugar.

Serves: 6-8