APPLE BUTTER PANCAKES w/ SAUTÉED APPLES

Why yes, it is yet another apple-focused recipe coming at you today! It might be the third one in just about a month, but I for one will never get sick of apple recipes so I hope you all feel the same way. I also wanted to use up the rest of my big batch of apple butter that had been sitting in my fridge since the rugelach post, so that’s really how I developed today’s recipe for apple butter pancakes with sautéed apples.

The last, and only, time I shared a pancake recipe was back in April 2020 when, as we all know, life was looking pretty grim for the entire world. I remember thinking that my orange ricotta pancakes were a little bright light at a very dark time, and how something as simple as writing and sharing a recipe could make me feel just a little bit better. Luckily, today’s recipe won’t be associated with any pandemics and we can all just focus on one thing: the deliciousness of these pancakes.

Although I’m usually more of a waffle person, there will always be room in my heart (and stomach) for pancakes, especially when they have autumnal flavors. The apple butter flavor may not be particularly in your face, but you’ll definitely get a hint of it in each bite. Because of this subtlety, I wanted to amp up the apple flavor by adding a topping of apples sautéed in butter, brown sugar and cinnamon. It’s of course an optional addition, but I have to say it really took these pancakes to a whole different level. But these pancakes will be perfect as well with a simple pat of butter and/or drizzle of maple syrup.

Apple Butter Pancakes

Makes about a dozen medium-sized pancakes

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 tbsp. granulated sugar

• 2 tsp. baking powder

• 1 tsp. cinnamon

• 1/2 tsp. kosher salt

• 1 cup milk, any kind works

• 2 large eggs, separated

• 1/2 cup apple butter, homemade or store bought

• 2 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted

• 2 tsp. vanilla extract

• Sautéed apples, to finish (recipe below)

Directions

1. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking soda and salt together until well combined.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk the milk, egg yolks, apple butter, melted butter and vanilla extract until well combined. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and using a spatula, fold all ingredients together until almost combined.

3. Using a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or in a large bowl if using a hand mixer) whisk the egg whites until have stiff peaks. Gently fold the egg whites into the batter, being careful not to over mix. Let the batter rest for about 10 minutes. *This is a good time to start working on your sautéed apples.

4. Preheat a lightly-greased griddle or nonstick pan over medium heat. Scoop about 1/4 cup of batter for each pancake and cook on the first side until the edges appear set and bubbles start to show on the top surface, about 2-3 minutes. Carefully flip and continue to cook for a few more minutes, or until golden brown. Repeat until all batter is used up.

   *If not serving immediately, place pancakes on a baking sheet in the oven preheated to 200°F. This will keep them warm until ready to serve.

5. Top with butter, maple syrup and/or sautéed apples. Enjoy!

Sautéed Apples

Ingredients

• 2 large apples, peeled and chopped (I prefer Granny Smith or Pink Lady), about 2 cups

• 2 tbsp. unsalted butter

• 1 tbsp. brown sugar

• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

Directions

1. In a skillet over medium heat, sauté the chopped apples in the butter for about 5 minutes, stirring every so often.

2. Once slightly softened, add in the brown sugar and ground cinnamon and continue to cook for another 5-10 minutes, or until fork tender.

ROASTED APPLE AND CHINESE FIVE SPICE SCONES

The other night, Alex and I were on our typical after-dinner walk when the topic of discussing our favorite month of the year came up. Yes, I know that’s a topic that’s usually saved for bad dates or icebreakers on the first day of summer camp, but we were honestly interested in what each other thought. We both agreed that October was far and away our favorite month for the same typical reasons: we love the change in weather and the cozier, chillier nights, the increase in watching horror movies all throughout the month leading up to Halloween, and lastly, all the seasonal food/drinks (apple pie, ciders, hearty soups, pumpkin baked goods, etc.) that start to creep back into our diets.

Alex brought up one more reason, a sentimental one, which was that October was the month in which we first ever visited Portland, Maine. Just in case you’re new here, Alex and I lived in Portland for about a year and a half starting in 2020, and we miss it greatly. Although there’s beauty to be found in just about every season of the year in Portland, whether it’s the abundance of blooming flowers in the spring after a long, hard winter, or the sun-drenched days of summer that are filled with beach/lake swimming, hiking, etc, it is autumn when Portland and the entire state of Maine truly peaks. From the beautiful crisp weather, to the blazing fall foliage showcasing gold and crimson colors, to visiting orchards for apples and other local harvests, it’s hard to think of a more ideal time. Essentially, visiting Portland in October led us to fall in love with the city so much that we moved across the country because of it.

Since our conversation led us to being nostalgic over Portland and reliving our favorite memories, I wanted to bake something that reminded me not only of when we were living there, but mostly of the visit where we were first introduced to the magic that is Maine. On our first morning in Portland (we had flown a red-eye in and arrived starving for breakfast), we had breakfast at the beloved Tandem Bakery. I’ve discussed my love for this bakery numerous times in various blog posts, but I’ll just say again that if you ever find yourself in Portland, make sure you stop in (early!) and get yourself anything from the pastry case… you won’t regret it. I’ve never had anything short of amazing from Tandem, whether it was their signature biscuits, slices of loaf cakes, or the various seasonal pies, but the scones were what always called to me. Ever changing to reflect what was in season, the scones at Tandem were my favorite because not only did they have the best texture and level of sweetness, they were unique flavor-wise.

Today’s recipe is an ode to Tandem and their perfect scones that I crave on a weekly basis. I can’t remember if the flavor I’m sharing with you today was the first kind I had ever tried at Tandem, but I’ll definitely say it was a favorite of mine. The scone is apples with Chinese five spice, and although it sounds simple enough, the scones are unique and unlike typical autumnal flavors. If you’re unfamiliar with Chinese five spice, it’s a blend comprised of cinnamon, star anise, fennel seed, clove, and peppercorn. It’s the perfect balance of earthy, sweet, and spicy, and works beautifully in baked goods. It can be found in normal grocery stores in the baking aisle, but just make sure you get a blend with the spices that I mentioned above since some of them might have cumin or bay leaves.

I decided to roast my apples before adding them to the scone dough because I feel like it not only led to a better and deeper caramelized apple flavor, but it also helped with avoiding having unbaked apples in the final product. I roasted the chopped apples with maple syrup, vanilla extract and a bit of ground cardamom (my forever favorite spice) to really drive home the cozy, fall flavors that I wanted these scones to possess. I know it’s adding more work/time with roasting the apples beforehand, but it truly makes all of the difference. One final, and optional, element of these scones is finishing them with an apple cider glaze. Apple cider can be pretty pricey, so if you don’t feel like purchasing it just for the glaze, it’s totally skippable.

Roasted Apple and Chinese Five Spice Scones

Yields 8 large scones

Ingredients

• 1 large or two small apples, unpeeled and chopped (Pink Lady, Jazz or Braeburn work best)

• 1 tbsp. maple syrup

• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

• 1/4 tsp. ground cardamom

• 3 cups (360g) all-purpose flour

• 1/3 cup granulated sugar

• 1 tbsp. ground Chinese five spice

• 1 tbsp. baking powder

• 1/2 tsp. kosher salt

• 1 1/3 to 1 1/2 cups heavy cream, plus more for brushing

• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

• Turbinado sugar, for topping

For the glaze (optional)

• 1 cup confectioners’ sugar

• 2-3 tbsp. apple cider

• 1/2 tsp. ground Chinese five spice

Directions

1. Make the roasted apples: Preheat the oven to 375°. Place the chopped apples in a small baking dish and toss with the maple syrup, vanilla and cardamom. Mix to combine and arrange in an even layer. Bake in the oven for about 30 minutes, or until fork tender, flipping halfway through. Allow the apples to cool completely before continuing (you can pop them in the fridge to speed this up).

2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, Chinese five spice, baking soda and salt.

3. Pour 1 1/3 cups of the heavy cream into a measuring cup and mix in the vanilla extract. Drizzle this mixture slowly over the dry ingredients while using a wooden spoon to gently mix it together (I actually use my hands so I can get a good feel for the dough). The goal is to have no dry spots left in the dough, so you may need to add more heavy cream. Add in a tablespoon at a time until no more flour bits remain, but try to avoid making the dough too sticky. Carefully fold in the roasted apples.

4. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead it a couple of times. Using your hands or a rolling pin, work the dough into a 1-inch thick circle. Using a sharp knife, cut the circle into 8 wedges, transfer them to a large plate(s), and put them in the freezer for 30 minutes

5. Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Transfer the scones to the prepared baking sheet, leaving about 2 inches between each scone. Brush each scone with heavy cream and sprinkle with turbinado sugar.

6. Bake the scones in the oven for 18-23 minutes, rotating halfway through, until the tops are a light golden brown. Let the scones cool for about 15 minutes before adding the glaze (optional).

7. For the glaze: Sift the confectioners’ sugar into a small bowl (I always sift mine to ensure a smooth glaze) and add 2 tbsp. of apple cider as well as the five spice. Whisk thoroughly and add more apple cider if it’s too thick. Drizzle over the scones and enjoy!

ORANGE RICOTTA PANCAKES

I don’t even know where to begin. It’s been a month since I last posted a new recipe and I think it’s safe to say that we’ve (every single person on this planet) all been living an ongoing nightmare since then. I am, unfortunately, not writing this post sitting in my new apartment in Portland, Maine… our move, which was supposed to be on April 1st, got pushed back indefinitely and we’ve been staying at my mom’s house in Orange County for the time being. I don’t want to get into anything heavy or speak of my personal struggles because that’s not what I want to remember when I look back at this post years from now (nor do I want you guys to read yet another thing related to COVID-19), but I just want to say that I hope you all are well and that you’re in my thoughts every single day. If you want to privately message me, I’m here for you.

I’ve noticed online that a good amount of people have been taking this time of isolation as an excuse to pick up a new language, learn how to play an instrument, take an online course to get certified for something, or read as many books as humanly possible. And I’d like to let it be known that I am not one of these people. Besides exercising, baking, and watching as many random movies as I can, the only thing that I’ve “learned” is that my love for eating pasta has grown tenfold. And I feel no shame about it! I just want people to know that everyone deals with things differently and if you want to sit on your butt every day and do nothing meaningful or productive, then that’s perfectly fine. For example, I could have been hard on myself for not taking advantage of the extra time the past few weeks to post new recipes every other day, but I didn’t have the mental capacity or desire to! I honestly just wanted to bake for myself (and my family) and return to older recipes of mine that I didn’t have the time to remake. I baked my funfetti sugar cookies, chocolate sorbet, coffee toffee ice cream, etc, etc. - and it’s been making me SO happy. So why would I change that? I also didn’t feel comfortable with posting a recipe with ingredients that you may not have and I don’t want anyone going to the grocery store because of me!

But after about three weeks of being on an emotional rollercoaster, I finally found myself wanting to write and share something new with you and I landed on the breakfast/brunch staple that are pancakes. And not just plain old pancakes, but ones riddled with fresh orange zest/juice and creamy ricotta cheese. If you’ve been around, you know that my love for ricotta runs deep - I have a recipe on how to make homemade ricotta along with ricotta ice cream; I have the most beautiful citrus ricotta bundt cake with pistachios; and finally, I have the adorable individual apple ricotta tarts with homemade caramel drizzled on top.

The addition of ricotta to pancakes isn’t so much about changing the flavor but more so about getting a fluffier and creamier texture. On top of this, the number of eggs added - three- makes the pancakes even more decadent and custard-like since normal pancake recipes usually call for only one egg. You’re probably thinking that these additions to the recipe would mean that they’ll be too heavy or rich, but after eating a stack of four for lunch the past two days, I can attest that they’re just perfect. A big part of what helps cut through the creaminess from the ricotta and eggs is the addition of citrus (orange in this case) via the juice and zest. The citrus really brightens up the pancakes and prevents you from feeling like you’re being filled with too much dairy.

A couple of tips for when it comes to making these perfect pancakes: 1) if you have the time, have all the ingredients - namely the eggs, milk and ricotta - be room temperature. This ensures a smoother incorporation of the batter and therefore a better textured pancake. 2) Speaking of ingredients, make sure that your baking powder isn’t expired. I know a lot of people who don’t bake too often and when they finally do, the recipe fails and it’s usually since they’re baking powder (or soda) is months over the expiration date. 3) Do not over mix the batter! This is a given in almost every recipe for baked goods but is probably the most important when it comes to making pancakes. 4) After the pancake batter is finished, allow it to “rest” for about 15 minutes so that the flour can be properly hydrated and the leavening agents (baking powder and soda) can be evenly distributed.

So, if you have all of these ingredients in your fridge right now - don’t forget that you can make your own ricotta cheese with only 4 ingredients (milk, heavy cream, salt and lemon juice) - by all means, go ahead and make these this weekend for Easter brunch and try to have a fun and joyful holiday. And if you don’t have the ingredients, just remember to pick up some ricotta and oranges the next time you’re able to safely make it to the grocery store, and make a batch of the pancakes on a random weekday. Trust me, having these babies on a Tuesday morning will definitely brighten your day and I know we could all use that right now,

Orange Ricotta Pancakes

Yields 12-13 pancakes

Recipe adapted from Cooking Classy

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp. granulated sugar

• 2 tbsp. orange zest

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

• 2 tsp. baking powder

• 1/4 tsp. baking soda

• 1/2 tsp. kosher salt

• 3/4 cup ricotta (full-fat or part skim), homemade or store bought, room temperature

• 1 cup milk (whole or 2%), room temperature

• 3 large eggs, room temperature

• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

• 1/4 cup fresh orange juice

• 1 tbsp. butter, melted and slightly cooled

Directions

1. In a large bowl, using your hands or a whisk, massage/mix the sugar and orange zest together until fragrant (this helps release the oils in the zest). Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt and whisk until combined.

2. To a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the ricotta, milk, eggs, vanilla extract and orange juice. Slowly pour in the melted butter while whisking at the same time (just in case the butter is still too warm from being melted).

3. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until just barely incorporated. DO NOT OVER MIX. Allow the batter to rest at room temperature for 15 minutes,

4. Preheat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Scoop about 1/3 cup of batter for each pancake and cook on the first side until the edges appear set and bubbles appear on the top surface, about 3 minutes. Carefully flip and continue to cook for another 2-3 minutes, or until the pancakes are golden brown. Repeat until all batter is used up.

5. Serve immediately with maple syrup, powdered sugar and/or lemon curd, Enjoy!