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1
Slice the Apples
5 minutes
No heat (room temperature, about 20°C (68°F))
Peel the apples, cut them into quarters, remove the cores and slice each quarter thinly, about 3 mm thick. Toss the slices at once with the lemon juice so they stay pale and bright, and set them aside.
A sharp knife and a steady hand matter more than speed — even slices cook evenly.
Done when: Thin, even slices, pale and glossy with lemon juice.
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2
Whisk the Batter
5 minutes
No heat (room temperature, about 20°C (68°F))
Sift the flour, baking powder, salt and 2 g of the cinnamon into a large bowl. In a jug, whisk the eggs, milk, 30 g of the sugar, the melted butter and the vanilla until smooth, then pour into the flour and whisk just until no dry flour remains. The batter should be thick enough to coat a spoon and fall in a slow ribbon.
Stop whisking as soon as the flour disappears — overmixed batter makes tough pancakes.
Done when: A smooth, thick batter with no dry flour and only a few small bubbles.
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3
Rest the Batter
10 minutes
Room temperature, about 20°C (68°F)
Leave the batter to rest for 10 minutes while the pan heats. The flour absorbs the milk, the baking powder starts to work and the pancakes fry up lighter, with a more even crumb.
Use the resting time to mix the cinnamon sugar and set out the plates — the pan is next.
Done when: Batter slightly thicker than before, with a few bubbles on the surface.
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4
Fry the First Batch
8 minutes
Medium heat, pan about 175°C (350°F)
Melt half the frying butter in a wide non-stick pan over medium heat until it foams. Ladle in batter for two pancakes and lay apple slices over the top of each one, pressing them gently into the batter. Fry for about 4 minutes until the underside is deep golden and the edges look set, then flip with a wide spatula and fry the second side for about 3 minutes until golden and cooked through, at least 74°C (165°F) in the centre.
If the butter browns too fast, lower the heat — a scorched pan makes bitter pancakes.
Done when: Deep golden on both sides, apples soft and slightly caramelised, centre set and steaming.
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5
Fry the Second Batch
8 minutes
Medium heat, pan about 175°C (350°F)
Wipe the pan clean, melt the remaining butter and fry the last two pancakes the same way, with the remaining apple slices. Keep the first batch warm under a clean tea towel while you fry the second.
A quick wipe between batches stops burnt crumbs from the first batch spotting the second.
Done when: Four golden pancakes in total, apples visible in every one.
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6
Dust and Serve
2 minutes
Serve hot, above 60°C (140°F)
Slide the pancakes onto warm plates, two per serving. Dust each one with the cinnamon sugar and the powdered sugar, and serve at once, while the edges are still crisp.
Dust the sugar at the table if you like — it melts into the hot pancake within a minute.
Done when: Hot pancakes, golden and crisp-edged, with cinnamon sugar melting on top.
auto_awesome Finishing Touches & Plating
Serve the pancakes the moment they leave the pan, with the cinnamon sugar still melting on top. A spoonful of quark, whipped cream or vanilla ice cream on the side turns breakfast into dessert — and the pancakes are at their best within minutes of frying.
Germany
3h 30m
