Apfelpfannkuchen #BreadBakers

I love learning about other cultures through food so when Stacy of Food Lust People Love and owner of the Facebook group, Bread Bakers, needed a host for this month, I gladly volunteered and chose the theme International Breads.

I set up the event and shared a list of breads and their origins, that I found on Wikepedia, for inspiration.  We have bakers from all over the world in this wonderful group so we often get bread recipes from their individual countries.  I thought it might be fun to expand our horizons and make breads from countries other than our own.

I had the Angel Face for a few days this month and she loves to help in the kitchen.  I decided to make German Apple Pancakes, in honor of Oktoberfest, for breakfast one morning. Here she is making a well in the dry ingredients so that we can add the wet ingredients.

Oktoberfest starts in a few days, September 16th, so it was a good opportunity to share some food culture with her.  Her Uncle Max had visited from Germany last May and she instantly fell in love with him so she has some understanding of people living far away in different countries.

The batter for these pancakes are the same consistency as that for crepes but with a lot less eggs.  You combine the wet and dry ingredients and then set it aside to rest while you prepare the apples.

Thinly slice three tart apples and toss with lemon juice, sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. Saute for a couple of minutes before adding a little water and cooking until softened and water is evaporated.

Now comes the fun part. 

1. Heat your pan, remove from heat and spray liberally with cooking spray, add a scant 1/3 c. batter to the pan and swirl to cover the bottom.
2. Place onto a hot pad on the counter and arrange the apple slices over the batter.
3. Pour another 1/3 c. batter over the apples and swirl to cover. Return pan to heat for a couple of minutes until edges are dry and holes start to appear over the top. Loosen with thin spatula that has been treated with cooking spray and shake the pan to make sure that the pancake moves easily without sticking.
4. Slide from the pan onto a plate right side up.
5. Place the pan over the pancake on the plate and (using a hot pad) flip the pancake back into the pan.
6. Return pan to heat and cook underside for another couple of minutes.

Slide the finished pancake onto a clean plate, sprinkle with brown sugar and place in a warm oven while repeating this procedure 3 more times, adding each finished pancake onto the other with a layer of brown sugar between and topping the final pancake with brown sugar.

When the final layer is done, cut into quarters and serve.  I adapted this recipe from one found on the Food Network show, Sara's Secrets.  

This made a wonderful breakfast.  It is not overly sweet but sweet enough that no added syrup is necessary.  It would also be wonderful as a dessert topped with some ice cream or whipped cream.

Apfrelpfannkuchen (German Apple Pancakes)

adapted from Sara's Secrets by Jean Anderson and Heidi Wurz

1 1/4 c. flour

2 T. sugar

1 t. baking powder

pinch of salt

1 1/4 c. milk

1 egg

1 T. butter, melted

1/2 t. vanilla

3 tart apples (I used Paula Reds)

juice of 1 small lemon

2 T. sugar

1 t. cinnamon

1/4 t. nutmeg

2 T. butter

1/4 c. water

cooking spray

brown sugar for sprinkling

Sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt into a bowl.  Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients.  Whisk together the milk, egg, melted butter and vanilla.  Pour into the well of the dry ingredients and whisk until smooth.  Cover and set aside to rest.

Peel and core the apples.  Cut into thin slices and place in a bowl.  Add the lemon juice, sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg.  Toss to coat.

Melt 2 T. butter over med high heat in a heavy skillet.  Add the apples and sauté for a minute or two. Add the water and cook, stirring occasionally, until water evaporates and apples are very tender. Remove to a plate to cool.

Heat a 10" omelet pan over med high heat for 3 or 4 minutes.  Remove from heat and spray liberally with cooking spray, coating the bottom and sides.  Add a scan 1/3 cup of the batter to the pan tilting and swirling so the bottom is covered.  Place the pan onto a hot pad on the counter and arrange 1/4 of the apple slices over the top of the batter.  Add another 1/3 cup batter and swirl and tip the pan to cover the apples.  Place the pan back onto the burner, reduce the heat to low and cook for 2 minutes, until the edges are dry and bubble holes begin to appear on the top of the pancake.  

Spray a thin spatula with cooking spray and run around the edges and under the bottom of the pancake.  Shake the pan, ensuring that the pancake moves freely, then slide the pancake, right side up onto a clean plate.  

Place the pan over the pancake and invert the plate and pan so that the uncooked side is not on the hot surface of the pan.  Return the pan to the burner over low heat and cook for another 2 minutes. 

Slide onto a clean plate, sprinkle with brown sugar and place in a warm oven or under a heat lamp, while repeating this process three more times.  Each time a pancake is complete, layer it on top of the previous pancake in the warming oven.

When the last pancake is complete, lay on top of the other 3, sprinkle with brown sugar, cut into quarters and serve.  Print Recipe

More Interesting International Breads

• Apfelpfannkuchen (Apple Pancake)from A Day in the Life on the Farm 
• Auvergne Crown from Karen's Kitchen Stories 
• Bauernbrot from All That's Left Are The Crumbs
• Bialys from Spill the Spices 
• Boule from Bread Therapy 
• Chilli and Coriander Scones from Sizzling Tastebuds 
• Dutch Tiger Bread (Tijgerbolletjes)from Baking Sense 
• Epi di Pan from Sara's Tasty Buds 
• Franzbrotchen from Gayathri's Cook Spot 
• German Soft Pretzels (Laugenbrezel) from Hostess At Heart 
• German Soft Pretzels from Herbivore Cucina 
• Kardemummabullar from Ambrosia 
• Pita Bread from Sneha's Recipe
• Pletzel from Cook's Hideout 
• Pretzel bites from My Cooking Journey 
• Savoury Kugelhopf from The Mad Scientist's Kitchen 
• Slovak Bread Rolls(Rozky) from Mayuri's Jikoni 
• Whole wheat Pita bread from Sonlicious 
• Yemeni Kubaneh from Food Lust People Love

#BreadBakers is a group of bread loving bakers who get together once a month to bake bread with a common ingredient or theme. You can see all our of lovely bread by following our Pinterest board right here. Links are also updated after each event on the #BreadBakers home page. We take turns hosting each month and choosing the theme/ingredient. If you are a food blogger and would like to join us, just send Stacy an email with your blog URL to foodlustpeoplelove@gmail.com.