The Bolzana Apple cake has become quite the rage since Scott Carsberg wrote about it in the New York Times. I followed that recipe and fell in love with the cake. It was a great mixture between a pastry and a custard. A marriage made in apple heaven.However, this cake also reminded me was so much of a strudel that it made me want to improvise and make something else. So I decided to make an apple pancake. Prepared much like the original cake yet with the textural integrity and lightness of a pancake.
It is absolutely genius. So why don't you take my word for it and give this a try. I am certain, when you taste the vanilla butter ensconced apples held up by a gossamer batter you will absolutely fall in love.
It is very easy so enjoy!
Bolzana Apple Pancake
What You Need:
100 grams unsalted butter
1 vanilla bean [if you are using essence instead skip step 2 and add it directly to the batter]
2 tablespoon lemon juice
3 medium sized apples (thinly sliced)
1/2 Cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 eggs (at room temperature)
1/2 Cup sugar
1/2 Cup whole milk at room temperature
Method:
1. Prepare two 9" cake pans. Set the oven to 160 degrees celcius.
2. Melt the butter over low heat. Split the vanilla bean and scrape the seeds into the butter. Add the vanilla pod and keep on low heat for a couple of minutes, swirling gently. Take care not to brown the butter. Take off the heat and set aside to cool.
3. Place the lemon juice into a bowl big enough to hold the apple slices. Add the apples to the bowl, tossing gently with the lemon juice.
4. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt together.
5. Whip the eggs and the sugar with an electric beater until the mixture is light in color, thickened and tripled in volume.
6. Remove vanilla pod from the butter and gently fold the butter into sugar-egg mixture.
2. Melt the butter over low heat. Split the vanilla bean and scrape the seeds into the butter. Add the vanilla pod and keep on low heat for a couple of minutes, swirling gently. Take care not to brown the butter. Take off the heat and set aside to cool.
3. Place the lemon juice into a bowl big enough to hold the apple slices. Add the apples to the bowl, tossing gently with the lemon juice.
4. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt together.
5. Whip the eggs and the sugar with an electric beater until the mixture is light in color, thickened and tripled in volume.
6. Remove vanilla pod from the butter and gently fold the butter into sugar-egg mixture.
7. Fold a third of the flour into the batter alternately with half of the milk, beginning and ending with the flour.
8. Fold in the apples until every piece is coated with batter.
9. Pour into the prepared pan and smooth out the batter and apples evenly.
10. Bake for 30 minutes at 160. It is done when the apples give in easily. Cool for twenty minutes and then serve with fresh cream or just by dusted sugar.
10. Bake for 30 minutes at 160. It is done when the apples give in easily. Cool for twenty minutes and then serve with fresh cream or just by dusted sugar.