A Pancake That Puffs

My family knows Saturdays always start with a "special" shared breakfast. Bowls of cold cereal or a breakfast muffin on the go are fine Monday through Friday, but weekends start with some combination of eggs, pancakes, waffles, sausage or bacon. I especially love making an Apple Bacon Puff Pancake because you get time to read the paper while this magical all-in-one treat rises in the oven.

I’ve always called this version of a giant pancake a "Dutch Baby", but that may be a bias from childhood. I grew up in a small town that celebrates its Dutch heritage with a weeklong tulip festival each May. Parades, city-wide floral displays, hundreds of costumed Klompen dancers performing nightly--even an authentic working windmill imported from the Netherlands—all combine to create a delightful impression of nostalgic community. Food and festivals go together like bacon and eggs, which reminds me, it’s time to share this tasty recipe with you…

One thing to note when making this dish—have your family seated with forks ready as the pancake is pulled from the oven. They can admire the "puff" before it deflates and is topped with the maple-laced apples. It may not be as exciting as watching a marching band perform in wooden shoes, but it’s still pretty fun.
Grab your cup of coffee and turn the oven to 425° while you assemble the necessary ingredients—butter, milk, eggs, flour, cooked bacon, maple syrup, apples, brown sugar and cinnamon.

Place 2 tablespoons of butter in a 9-inch glass pie pan and place in the oven until the butter melts (about 4 minutes).

Whisk the eggs, milk and flour together until smooth.

Peel and slice the apple (one apple should yield about a cup).

Crumble four slices of cooked bacon and set aside. I cook a pound of bacon most weekends and keep leftovers in a resealable plastic bag in the freezer for later use (BLTs anyone?)

Pull the hot pan from the oven and gently swirl to distribute the butter around the entire surface.

Then pour the pancake mixture into the pan and sprinkle with the crumbled bacon. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes until puffed and golden brown.

Meanwhile, melt the remaining 2 talespoons of butter in a medium non-stick skillet and add the sliced apples, maple syrup, brown sugar and cinnamon. Cook until the apple is tender (about 4 minutes).

Relax with the comics until the timer goes off, then wait for the "ooohs and aaahs."

Then top with the cooked apples. If you wish, you can sprinkle a bit of powdered sugar on top to give it a professional look.

Time to shout "pannekoeken"!

I hope you enjoy this recipe. Feel free to comment or offer suggestions for other breakfast ideas.

Come back in a few days when Bridget will share a spicy brunch idea.

Emily is paid to write for the Land O’Lakes Recipe Buzz® Blog.