Post by Paulinemom on Sept 12, 2006 17:01:37 GMT
Apple butter, a centuries-old traditional British dish, is put to good use in this modern take on pancakes
Servings: 6
Level of difficulty: Easy
Preparation Time: 30 minutes, makes about 4 x 400g jars apple butter
Cooking Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Ingredients
For the apple butter
2kg Granny Smith apples
400ml cider
675g brown sugar, approximate quantity
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp allspice berries
2 Lemons, juice only
For the apple pancakes
1 cooking apple
1 tsp butter
1 egg, separated
1 tsp apple butter
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
100g plain flour
100ml Buttermilk
salt and pepper
vegetable oil, for frying
To serve
12 rashers sweetcure Bacon, grilled
maple syrup, for pouring
Method
1. For the apple butter; peel, core and quarter the apples and cook in cider until soft. Mash the apples with a potato masher, and push through a sieve.
2. Add brown sugar to sweeten the apples, and stir in the spices, lemon rind and juice. Cook over a low heat, until thick and dark brown – stirring frequently – about 40-50 minutes.
3. If you are not going use the apple butter within a week or 2, pour into hot sterilized jars, seal tightly and set aside. The butter can also be frozen.
4. For the apple pancakes; peel core and roughly chop the apple. Soften in a nut of butter until it loses its shape. Mash with a potato masher and leave to cool before combining with the apple butter, egg yolk, cinnamon and flour. Pour in the buttermilk, and whisk until it becomes a smooth paste; season and set aside.
5. Whip the egg whites until stiff, and fold into the pancake batter.
6. Heat a skillet or pancake pan with a teaspoon of oil. Drop spoonfuls of the batter onto the hot pan and cook, in batches, for 2-3 minutes on each side. Keep warm between the folds of a clean tea towel
7. Serve the pancakes with crisp-fried bacon rashers and a generous helping of maple syrup.