Pancakes with Apples

Simple and delicious pancakes with caramelized apples.

Ingredients:

Pancake Batter:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 3/4 cup sparkling water (preferably)
• a pinch of salt
• 3 tablespoons butter or vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon vanilla sugar

Caramelized Apples:

• 1 kg apples (e.g., tart apples like Granny Smith)
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon vanilla sugar
• about 2 tablespoons sugar (or to taste)

Optional for Serving:

• powdered sugar, maple syrup, whipped cream, melted chocolate, caramel sauce, or dulce de leche

Preparation:

Pancake Batter:

1. In a bowl, combine the flour, eggs, milk, sparkling water, salt, and vanilla sugar. Mix until smooth.
2. Add melted butter or vegetable oil and mix again until well incorporated.
3. Fry the pancakes on a well-heated skillet with a thin bottom, ideally a crepe pan. Flip them over when the bottom of the pancake is nicely browned and set.

Caramelized Apples:

1. Peel the apples, quarter them, remove the cores, and then slice or chop into pieces.
2. In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add apples, cinnamon, and vanilla sugar. Stir occasionally and cook for about 15 minutes, or until the apples soften and begin to break down. You can cover the pan while cooking.
3. Towards the end, adjust sweetness with sugar according to taste.

Serving: Fill each pancake with caramelized apples (you can gently heat them in the skillet if needed). Serve with powdered sugar, maple syrup, whipped cream, melted chocolate, caramel sauce, or dulce de leche.