The apple harvest continues and now fall’s favorite fruit jazzes up breakfast. This apple-infused pancake recipe by cookbook author Alison Lewis, which appeared in Real Food, calls for a McIntosh apple, which is described as tangy and tender; good for snacks, sauces, and pies. This juicy apple’s tender white flesh cooks down easily, which makes it preferable to a very crunchy apple in pancakes, since the cooking time is rather brief.
And a trivia tidbit: This old, well-known variety was discovered as a chance seedling by John McIntosh in 1811, according to the U.S. Apple Association.
This weekend breakfast is topped off nicely with the Maple-Pecan Syrup. Celebrating the apple harvest just got sweeter.
Apple Pancakes with Maple-Pecan Syrup
Serves 8
2 c. all-purpose flour
¼ c. sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. salt
¹⁄8 tsp. nutmeg
2 c. buttermilk
2 large eggs
2 tbsp. butter, melted
1 large McIntosh apple, peeled and chopped
Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg in a large bowl. Make a well in center of mixture.
Stir together buttermilk, eggs, and butter in a large mixing bowl. Pour into well in flour mixture, stirring just until moistened. Fold in apple.
Pour ¼ cup batter for each pancake onto a hot, lightly greased griddle. Cook until tops are covered with bubbles and edges look cooked; turn and cook the other side. Serve with Maple-Pecan Syrup (recipe below).
Maple-Pecan Syrup
1 c. maple syrup
¼ c. honey
½ c. chopped pecans, toasted
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
Cook syrup and honey in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring often, until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in pecans and cinnamon. (Mixture will thicken as it cools.)
