Pancakes with Spicy Apples and Caramel Recipe

Pancakes are not just recipes for Pancake Day (Shrove Tuesday)... no, honestly.

A well made pancake with a sweet filling provides an excellent dessert. If you use a savoury filling you can make a main meal. I like plain pancakes with herbs rolled and stuffed with meat then baked in a white sauce.

This is an excellent substitute for cannelloni.

This recipe, however is for a classic pancake-based dessert.

Pancakes with Spicy Apples and Caramel

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

115g (1/4 lb) plain flour
1 egg
1 egg yolk
275ml (1 cup + 2 tbsp) milk
65g (2 1/2 oz) unsalted butter
1.3kg (3 lbs) eating apples, peeled, cored and diced
65g (2 1/2 oz) dark brown sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
150ml (3/5 cup) double cream
1 tbsp golden syrup (cane syrup)
oil for frying
icing sugar, for dusting
4 sprigs of mint, for garnish

Method:

Sift the flour into a bowl and add the egg and egg yolk. Mix with a wooden spoon until well combined, then slowly pour in the milk, stirring until the mixture is smooth. Set aside to rest for 5 minutes.

For the apples, melt 50g (2 oz) of the butter in a medium-sized saucepan. Add the diced apple pieces along with 50g (2 oz) of the sugar, cinnamon and cloves. Stir well to combine then bring the mixture to a gentle simmer and allow to bubble gently for 10 minutes, or until the apples are tender but still hold their shape.

Combine the remaining butter and sugar in a heavy-based pan, add the cream and syrup then gently bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly. When the mixture is smooth take off the heat and set aside to keep warm.

For the pancakes, heat a frying pan until hot, but not smoking. Wipe the pan with a little oil on a piece of kitchen paper. Spoon in enough batter to almost cover the pan, circling and tilting the pan to make certain that there is an even, thin, layer of batter covering it.

Allow the pancakes to colour on one side (about 1 minute) then flip over and cook until brown on the other side. Transfer to a low oven to keep warm under a damp tea towel as you cook the remaining batter (you should have enough for 8 pancakes).

To serve, fill each pancake with the apple mixture then set two on each serving plate. Drizzle the caramel sauce around the edge of the plate then dust each serving with icing sugar and decorate with a sprig of mint. Serve immediately.