Sweet Saturday Morning German Apple Pancake

As we slide towards the Christmas holiday things get more and more hectic, family is here (for Thanksgiving), family is gone, family is back...friends have parties, work gets ready to shut down for a little while and present buying is in full swing. Today, Mom and Dad are planning to drive home (back to Mexico) and since Mom and I are the early risers in the house we start thinking about breakfast (and COFFEE) much earlier than everyone else. This morning is no exception to that, today we shard one of my favorites, and hers too (I made it for her b-day in August), a German Apple Pancake. This originally came from the August 08 Cooking Light, one of my favorite magazines, but has been used more times than I can count since then. I've used this as a family dish and for a brunch I hosted for friends, it's sweet, light, fluffy and delicious...I highly recommend it.

German Apple Pancake

Batter:

1/2 Cup All-Purpose Flour

1/2 Tsp Baking Powder

1 Tbsp Granulated Sugar

1/8 Tsp Salt

1/8 Tsp Grated Whole Nutmeg

1 Cup Egg Substitute (I usually just use 2 eggs)

1 Cup Fat Free Milk

2 Tbsp Butter, Melted

1 Tsp Vanilla Extract

Apple Mixture:

Cooking Spray

1/2 Cup Granulated Sugar

1/2 Tsp Ground cinnamon

1/2 Tsp Grated Whole Nutmeg

1 Cup Thinly Sliced Granny Smith Apples

Remaining Ingredient:

1 Tbsp Powdered Sugar

1. Combine flour, baking powder, 1 tbsp granulated sugar, salt and 1/8 tsp nutmeg in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk. Combine egg, milk, butter and vanilla in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add egg mixture to flour mixture and stir with whisk. Let stand 30 minutes.

2. Preheat oven to 425.

3. To prepare apple mixture, coat bottom and sides of skillet with cooking spray. Combine 1/4 cup granulated sugar, cinnamon and 1/2 tsp nutmeg; sprinkle evenly over bottom and sides of pan. Arrange apple in an even, spokelike pattern in pan. Sprinkle apple with remaining 1/4 cup sugar. Cook over medium heat 8 minutes or until mixture bubbles. Slowly pour batter over apple mixture.

4. Bake at 425 for 15 minutes. reduce oven temperature to 375 (do not remove pancake from oven); bake additional 13 minutes or until center is set. Carefully loosen pancake with a spatula. Gently slide pancake onto a serving platter. Sift powdered sugar over top. Cut into 6 wedges; serve immediately.

This pancake is a great way to start the morning - especially since Saturdays are time to kick back and enjoy! A bit of fresh coffee, some crunchy bacon and a piece of German Apple Pancake is close to perfection.