just an apple pancake morning...

on this first day of fall..

ingredients:

    1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more as needed

    3 tablespoons sugar

    1 tablespoon baking powder

    1/4 teaspoon fine salt

    1/8 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg

    2 large eggs at room temperature

    1 1/4 cups milk at room temperature

    1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

    3 tablespoons unsalted butter plus more as needed

    4 macintosh or other small apples

    warm maple syrup

directions:

preheat the oven to 200 degrees F. set a wire rack on a baking sheet and place in the oven.

whisk 1 3/4 cups flour, the sugar, baking powder, salt and nutmeg in a large bowl. in small bowl or liquid measuring cup, whisk the eggs with the milk and vanilla extract. melt 3 tablespoons butter in a large well-seasoned cast-iron or non stick skillet over medium heat. whisk the butter into the milk mixture. add the liquid ingredients to the dry mixture, and whisk just long enough to make a thick batter.

peel and core the apples keeping them whole. slice the apples crosswise to make 1/4-inch rounds. put some flour on a plate and dedge the apple slices until lightly coated, shaking off any excess flour.

in the same skillet over medium to medium-low heat, place 3 apple slices about 3-inches apart in the skillet. cook without turning until browned, about 3 minutes. ladle about 2 tablespoons of the batter over each apple ring. cook, until bubbles break the surface of the pancakes, about 2 to 3 minutes. add a small bit of butter to the skillet, as needed, and flip the pancakes cook until golden on the underside, about 1 minute more.

serve immediately or transfer to oven to keep warm. repeat with the remaining apples and batter. serve with warm maple syrup.