Apple Puff-Up Pancake (Dutch Baby) ....and a new gadget

My name is Debby, and I am a kitchen gadget-holic.   I am now the proud new owner of my newest kitchen gadget:

I found this apple peeler, corer slicer at Bed Bath & Beyond. After a coupon, I paid less than $15.00 for it. I love it!  I've been busily making apple crisps, sauteed apples over ice cream and I have to say that this gadget is going to be used a lot!  This morning, I saw this recipe posted on Relish Magazine's Facebook Fan Page and I jumped out of my chair and into the kitchen-- excited to make use of my newest toy kitchen tool.  This dish took, literally, 15 minutes to prepare.  I preheated the oven to 450F and then grabbed one Granny Smith Apple...

Faster than you can "apple pie", I had perfectly sliced apples. Nice!

In a 10" cast-iron skillet (one of my favorite kitchen tools), I added 2 Tablespoons of buttah on medium heat. the apples are cooked on each side for 3-4 minutes each. Next, I add 1/4 cup brown sugar and some cinnamon and then I added another "secret ingredient" of my own.

Boiled Cider... purchased online from my future dream employer... King Arthur Flour. This is liquid gold, and I am going to buy more.  This product should be a staple for anyone who loves apples. I am not being paid to praise this product. It simply deserves praise. (So do I, come to think of it!)

While the apples were cooking, I mixed flour, milk (2%), three room temperature eggs and vanilla.  I whisked it, until smooth and set it aside. The apples are ready...

Yum!  Remove the apples from the heat....

Pour the batter over the apple mixture. (At this point, I realized I forgot to add the cinnamon. On a whim, I sprinkled the cinnamon over the batter and crossed my fingers.)  Bake at 450F for about 20 minutes, or until golden brown.

Nice and puffy (the cinnamon looks like freckles, but at least it's there).

... a squeeze of fresh lemon juice (from our Myer lemon tree) is a "must". Trust me.

... a shower of powdered sugar...

Breakfast is ready in less than 30 minutes!  The pancake will begin to shrink, by the way. Serve nice and hot!

VERDICT:  The apples are not too sweet and the boiled cider really makes the flavor buds pop.  The pancake has a custard-like texture and the lemon juice gives a perfect brightness to this dish.   Next time, I'll remember to add the cinnamon into the apple mixture.  I might double the apples, too. This is a hit and I intend to make this more often.  You could definitely have some fun by adding raisins, in desired (and we love them) and even a scoop of vanilla to serve this as a dessert.  

The printable recipe for this dish is at the very bottom of this post.  

Craig and I are off to Palm Springs, and I have scheduled this recipe to post as we are headed 8 hours south of our home.  For those of you who are experiencing chilly Fall temps, I might want to join you. According to the internet, we have 90 degree temps in store for us. I've packed sunblock, bathing suits, a few favorite kitchen tools (gotta have 'em) to use in our condo.  I'll post pictures of us grilling and sipping cocktails. There will not, however, be photos of me in a bikini.  Not gonna happen... just use your imagination. Then again...maybe not!

Later!