Pancakes and Waffles - Family Breakfast Treats
by The Virtual Chef
Copyright 1994, All Rights Reserved

For those special Sunday mornings try some old-fashioned German Apple pancakes.
These are oversized pancakes and are best cooked in a 10 inch omelet pan than on a
standard pancake griddle. For a traditional German hausfrau, flipping the
Apfelpfannkuchen is a snap, for those of us who grew up on 4 inch flapjacks, it is a little
tricky, so a plate trick is included to help you out.

Pancake Batter

1 1/4 C sifted unbleached flour
3  tbsp. brown sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/4 C milk
2 medium eggs
1 tbsp. melted unsalted butter
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 tsp. freshly grated lemon zest

Apple Mixture
2 large Winesap or Granny Smith apples
1 tbsp. white sugar
1 tbsp. brown sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
1 tbsp. lemon juice
2 tbsp. unsalted butter
1/4 C water

Vanilla Sugar for topping

Sift the flour,  baking powder, nutmeg  and salt into a small mixing bowl. Make a well
in the center. In a separate bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, milk, melted butter,
vanilla and lemon zest. Pour into the well in the ingredients and stir briskly to form a
smooth batter. Cover and set aside while you prepare the apples.

Peel the apples, core and cut into quarters. Slice each quarter 1/4 inch thick, crosswise
and put the slices into a large mixing bowl. In a small bowl , toss together the sugars,
cinnamon, nutmeg and lemon juice. Pour over apples and toss to mix. Melt the butter
in a heavy  skillet over medium heat. Let it foam up and subside. Add the apple mixture
and stir-fry for 2 minutes, stirring. Pour in the water and reduce the heat to low. Cover
and let simmer for 5-10 minutes. Uncover, raise the heat to medium and cook,
uncovered, shaking skillet often until juices boil away. Pour off into a bowl and reserve.

Preheat oven to 200 degrees.

Generously oil the bottom and sides of a well-seasoned ten inch omelet pan.  Lightly
butter a large flat plate and set aside. Set  the omelet pan over moderate heat for a
minute or so. Remove from heat and pour in a scant 1/3 C of the batter and roll pan to
coat botton of the pan in a thin even layer. Set on a hot pad and arrange 1/2 C of the
apple slices on top of the batter, distributing them evenly. Pour another scant cup of the
batter over top and cover the apples as uniformly as possible.
Set the skillet over moderate heat and cook the pancake uncovered for a minute. 
Reduce to low and cook two minutes longer until the pancake has dried around the
edges and bubbles in the middle remain open. Lightly oil a thin spatula and work
around the edges of the pancake and then shake the pan over the heat a few times until
the pancake begins to move freely.  Quickly slide the pancake onto the prepared plate.
Using pot lifters, invert the omelet pan over the top of the pancake and carefully flip
pancake into pan with uncooked side down. Set over moderate heat and cook
uncovered for about two minutes. Slide off onto a large round ovenproof plate and
cover with foil. Set in the oven until ready to serve. When ready to serve, slide each
pancake onto a heated plate and dust with Vanilla Sugar.

Vanilla Sugar

1 cup sugar
1 4 inch piece of vanilla bean, split and then cut crosswise into 1/4 inch pieces

Whisk sugar and then toss with vanilla bean. Transfer to a jar and let stand for two days.
Strain and sift onto apple pancakes before serving. (can be stored at room temperature
for up to six months)





Ah, you say, those are nice, but just a little too frou-frou for my winter appetite. Well,
never fear, here are some hearty pancakes for those of you who "are lumberjacks and
you're okay...you sleep all night and work all day.." or however that wonderful little
song goes. These pancakes are great to have waiting when you come in from trekking
through the woods, or stacking firewood, or from feeding the horses. 


Buckwheat Pancakes

1/2 C fine bread crumbs
1/2 tsp salt
2 1/2 C milk, lukewarm
1/2  pkg active dry yeast
2 cups buckwheat flour
2 tbsp. sorghum molasses
2 tbsp. melted unsalted butter
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 C lukewarm water

Add bread crumbs and salt to milk. Let stand for 10 minutes. Add yeast and stir.  Add the
buckwheat flour, stir smooth a nd set in a warm place overnight. Next morning, add the
molasses, butter, soda mixed in with the waer and beat smooth. Bake on a hot greased
griddle using about 1/4 C batter for each pancake. Brown on one side, and flip. Turn
only once.





Now if your family, like mine are nuts about waffles, then try this recipe instead.

(Serves 6 to 8)

1/2 cup warm water
1 1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 pkg Active Dry yeast
2 cups warm milk
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups unbleached flour
2 large eggs
1/2 tsp. vanilla
dash of freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon baking soda

Night Before

In a large mixing bowl, combine the warm water with sugar and yeast. Stir and let stand
ten to twenty minutes or until bubbly. 
Add the milk, butter, salt, and flour and beat until smooth and blended.   Cover the
bowl with plastic wrap and let stand overnight at room temperature.  

Morning

Preheat the waffle iron until it is hot enough to sizzle a drop of water (For crispy waffles,
be sure to preheat both sides until very hot before adding the batter.)

Beat in the eggs, vanilla and nutmeg.  Add the baking soda and stir until well mixed. 
The batter will be very thin.

Pour the batter onto center of the waffle iron, using amount specified by your waffle
iron's manufacturer (usually between 1/4 C and 1/3 C) Lower the lid and cook until the
bottom is golden brown. 

Keep the waffles warm and crisp by placing them in a single layer on racks in a warm
oven with the door slightly ajar to allow any moisture to escape.  Makes about eight
9-inch-square waffles.

If you don't use all, don't despair. Pop them in a ziploc in the freezer with sheets of wax
paper between. Then reheat IN YOUR WAFFLE IRON and serve with fresh berries and
whipped cream or custard sauce for surprise guests .