Apple Pancake Tart for Breakfast: The Simple Pleasures of Country Living…

Apple Pancake Tart for Breakfast, Brunch or Dessert. Platter by Aletha Soule…

I adore cities: San Francisco; New Orleans; New York; Florence; Munich – in that order. I love urban energy, art, culture, food and people. But as much as I enjoy traveling, I am a homebody at heart. After a day spent struggling through city traffic yesterday, I was more than ready to head home. So this weekend I am planning to enjoy the leisurely pace of my country life, complete with a slow, decadent brunch.

I have mentioned Marion Cunningham‘s delightful Breakfast Book here before, and I am sure I will mention it again. When it comes to creating comfort food, it’s really hard to beat the wisdom of Marion Cunningham. I found Marion’s recipe for apple pancakes one morning a few years back when I had a bag of apples and little else in my kitchen. Although it is categorized under pancakes, I file this delicious cast iron skillet creation somewhere between tart and souffle. But no matter what you call it, it is simply scrumptious, and easy-peasy to make.

Yes, the Big Apple is fun for a day or two, but after getting my fill, I am more than content with a few little apples served warm in an Apple Pancake Tart here on my country hilltop. There’s no place like home…

Marion Cunningham’s Apple Pancake Tart

From the Breakfast Book , (with tasty little adaptations)

Ingredients:

6     Tablespoons Butter

2     Large, tart apples, (peeled, cored and sliced)

3     Tablespoons Lemon Juice

1/4  teaspoon cinnamon

1/4  teaspoon vanilla

1/8  teaspoon nutmeg

5     Tablespoons confectioners sugar (plus or minus, to taste)

3     Eggs at room temperature

1/4  teaspoon salt

1/2  cup all-purpose flour

1/2  cup milk

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425°F.

In a large bowl, mix apples with lemon juice. Sprinkle with sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla and toss to mix well.

In a 10 inch skillet, melt butter until just liquified. Remove from heat and reserve 2 Tbs of butter in a separate bowl. Return skillet to stove and bring the heat to medium. Add the apple mixture and cook, (stirring), about 5 minutes. Apples should  retain shape but be cooked through and tender. Test with a fork. Remove from heat and spread them into a uniform layer at the bottom of the pan. Set pan aside.

Place milk, eggs, four salt and 2 tablespoons of reserved butter in a food processor or blender. Combine until smooth. Pour the mixture atop the layer of apples in the skillet.

Carefully place the skillet in the stove and bake for 20 minutes, until puffed up and golden brown.

Wait a few minutes for pan to cool, then flip upside down on a large platter to expose the apple top. Dust with confectioners sugar and serve warm…

Mmmmm…

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