Apple Pancakes & Apple Cider Syrup

When I tell you that these pancakes are delicious, it’s not an understatement, it’s not an exaggeration, and it’s not bragging. It’s the undeniable truth. Do not let this recipe intimidate you, there are a lot of steps because I wanted to make sure you get these babies right, you’ll thank me later.

View fullsize

Narae’s Bomb-Ass Fluffy Pancakes

Makes 8-10, 6 inch, pancakes

Listening to: Fantasy by Mariah Carey

Prep Apples

1½ cups       calville blanc d’hiver apples, grated

1½ cups       golden russet apples, grated

2 tsp           granulated sugar

¼ tsp          ground cinnamon

¼ tsp           ground cardamom

*any combination of Honeycrisp, Jonagold, Braeburn, Mutsu, Winesap, & Pink Lady apples would work just as beautifully*

Pancake Batter

4 each          egg whites

2 cups          buttermilk

4 each          egg yolks

¼ tsp            vanilla extract

1 tb          granulated sugar

2 tb        melted butter

2 cups          all-purpose flour

3 TB        granulated sugar

1 tsp             baking powder

1 tsp             baking soda

1/8 tsp          salt

                    Butter, to cook pancakes

For the Apple Cider Syrup

1½ cups        unfiltered apple cider

1 each           vanilla bean, split lengthwise

¼ tsp            ground cardamom

2 tb        cornstarch

3 Tb water

¼ cup maple syrup

1 tb          butter

TO PREP THE APPLES,

1. In a bowl, combine the grated apples with the sugar, cinnamon and cardamom. Set aside and allow for the apples to macerate for at least 20 minutes

FOR THE PANCAKES,

1. Whisk the egg whites until fluffy and airy as you would when making a meringue. Whisk in the buttermilk to the egg whites. Set aside.

2. Gently melt the butter in the microwave or on the stove top on low heat. Set aside to cool

3. In a separate bowl, whisk the yolks. Add the sugar and continue to whisk until it is fully incorporated. Whisk in the cooled, melted butter slowly into the egg yolk mixture, then add the vanilla extract.

4. Whisk the yolk mixture into the egg white mixture until fully incorporated.

5. Sift all of the dry ingredients into a large bowl

6. Slowly whisk the flour mixture into the wet mixture so that no clumps form. Whisk through to fluffy consistency and refrigerate for ten minutes

7. Preheat the oven to 250F

8. Strain the prepped apples, making sure to reserve the liquid. Add the apples to the pancake mix by gently folding it in the batter.

9. In a large skillet, add a knob of butter over medium-high heat.

10. Scoop a portion of batter into the pan. Don't press on them, don’t mess with them, don’t breathe on them…just let them be. Let them sit there and chill out.

11. When you see bubbles forming in the middle and a nice browning on the sides, flip them. Make sure you only do this once, and again, don’t mess with them. Allow to cook for no more than a minute.

12. While preparing the rest of the pancakes, store the cooked ones in the oven to keep warm

FOR THE SYRUP,

1. Place apple cider in a medium saucepan and scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; add the vanilla bean pod and ground cardamom.

2. Bring to a boil and cook, whisking occasionally, until reduced by two-thirds

3. Add the juices reserved from the prepped apples.

4. Return to a boil and cook until reduced to about ½ cup; remove vanilla and cardamom pods.

5. Stir cornstarch into the 3 tablespoons of water in a small bowl to dissolve, then whisk into apple cider mix.

6. Cook, whisking constantly, until cider mixture is very thick and bubbling, about 1 minute.

7. Remove from the heat and whisk in the maple syrup and butter.

8. Pour over the pancakes, taste it, roll your eyes back in satisfaction, add more syrup, and keep devouring.



When I tell you that these pancakes are delicious, it’s not an understatement, it’s not an exaggeration, and it’s not bragging. It’s the undeniable truth.

It’s more than just the pancakes, it’s about the syrup. The delicious marmalade-like, spiced apple cider, apple sweat syrup. Yes I said apple sweat. Many fruits and vegetables sweat. Except the technical term is maceration. Maceration is a process of breaking down and softening various substances. When fruit is macerated, it softens and releases some of its flavor and aroma compound. You want to go deeper?

Osmosis has a role in this as it is the movement of liquid across a semi-permeable membrane. In simpler terms it basically “steals” water from the fruit or vegetable and takes other flavor molecules along for the ride. The loss of water from the fruit causes it to soften; it also concentrates its natural flavors. Salt and sugar are two of the most common catalysts for osmosis; so putting either ingredient into your maceration mixture will trigger the process.

Okay, now that we got that out of the way, let’s get back into these pancakes and this succulent syrup!

My bestie and I drove from Chicago to Wisconsin for a day outside of the city, exactly one year ago today; I feel the tears coming down as I write this! Our first stop was at Door Creek Orchard to go apple picking. Upon arrival, we found out that we were a few days too late as the decreasing temperatures were beginning to freeze the apple trees. Honestly though, this could not have worked out better as they had all of their apples picked and stacked in boxes inside their cute and cozy shop. Had we gone apple picking, we would not have had the opportunity to learn about the vast amount of apple varieties they were growing.

The team inside the shop were amazing, handing us apple after apple to taste while teaching us about the particular properties and qualities of each one we were devouring. THIS my friends, was apple heaven! With around 20 different types of apples in all of the colors, not only did we get our minds blown with these unknown strains we had never seen or heard of before, but we were then led to taste their apple cider. This should come as no surprise, but we fell in love. I am not an apple cider fanatic; I’ve never been into it. But THIS one changed me! They added a subtle hint of cardamom that elevated the robust flavor profiles of the 20 varieties of apples in the cider. Saying that we were in our "happy place" would be an understatement.

Having a newfound love for apple cider and deeper appreciation of the apples we ended up buying, we wanted to get in the kitchen immediately! We already knew we wanted to make apple pancakes; Narae had her go to recipe that she never strayed from. So we joined creative forces to use our newly discovered satiable apples and the result, is the reason why I need to share it with you.

EVERY. SINGLE. BITE of these pancakes are psychedelic; smothered with butter, slowly melting through the spongy layers, soaked with cider syrup that drips down your lips as you wrap your mouth around the loaded fork; dare I say it's orgasmic? You know how you moan after you take the first bite of something so overwhelmingly-shockingly delicious? Yes. These pancakes are sex in your mouth. Sorry for being so vulgar, but also, not sorry. These pancakes are way past PG-13.