Soufflé Pancake with Cinnamon Apples
Fluffy soufflé pancake, inspired by Bette's Oceanview Diner in Berkeley, California, topped with sautéed cinnamon apples for a fall breakfast treat. If you don’t want to buy half and half or don't have it on hand, you can make your own by combining equal parts heavy cream and whole milk. Although this pancake recipe is not complicated or hard, it does require a bit of finesse during cooking. Or, in better terms, a watchful eye. Although I've listed estimated times in the recipe, it is really important to use your own judgement for this dish and adjust as necessary, as different broilers and cooking equipment will vary.
Ingredients
Cinnamon Apples:
- 1½ tablespoons (22g) unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon packed dark brown sugar
- 2 Honeycrisp apples peeled, cored, and chopped
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Souffle Pancake:
- 2 large egg yolks
- ½ cup (120 mL) half and half see recipe notes
- ¼ cup (30g) unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1½ tablespoons (22g) unsalted butter melted
- ½ teaspoon (4g) granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 large egg whites
- warm maple syrup for serving
Instructions
- Set the oven broiler to medium-high. Meanwhile, prepare the cinnamon apples by combining the butter and brown sugar in a medium skillet. Place over medium heat and stir until the sugar dissolves and the butter begins to bubble slightly. Add the chopped apple and ground cinnamon and stir the mixture together until the apples are evenly coated with the butter-sugar mixture. Reduce heat to low and continue to sauté for 2 to 3 minutes or until the apples are slightly translucent, yet still hold their shape. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly while you prepare the soufflé pancake batter.
- Prepare Soufflé Pancake: In a large bowl, beat the egg yolks and half and half together until smooth. Add the flour, stirring until just combined, then add the melted butter, sugar, and salt.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer (or separate clean bowl), fitted with a whisk attachment, whip the egg whites until they form soft peaks. Using a spatula, gently fold the egg whites into the wet batter. Do not over mix.
- Lightly butter a 10-inch (oven and broiler safe) non-stick or cast-iron skillet. Note: if using cast-iron, make sure it is very clean and watch cook time carefully as the pancake has a tendency to cook faster. Place the skillet over high heat on the stove until it is almost smoking. Immediately add the pancake batter to the pan and decrease the heat to low. Cook for an additional 4 to 5 minutes. Watch closely, if the pancake is starting to brown too quickly on the bottom, reduce the heat or transfer to the oven ahead of time.
- Once the bottom of the pancake is lightly brown and the batter has firmed slightly, top the pancake with the cinnamon apple mixture, distributing it evenly among the pan.
- Place the pan 4 to 5 inches below the oven broiler and cook for an additional 2 to 4 minutes (watch carefully during this step to avoid burning) or until the pancake is very fluffy and tall. The center of the pancake should still be a little soft. Remove from the oven and slide the pancake onto a warmed plate. Serve immediately with warm maple syrup.
Tips for Success:
- If you don’t want to buy or never have half and half on hand (i.e. me), you can make your own by combining equal parts heavy cream and whole milk.
Serving: 1serving, Calories: 417kcal, Carbohydrates: 29g, Protein: 12g, Fat: 28g, Saturated Fat: 17g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 11g, Cholesterol: 251mg, Sodium: 397mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 15g