Breakfast Club - Puffed Apple Pancake (and setting the record straight!)

Hubby bought me Bill Granger's book 'Holiday' for Christmas last year and I am ashamed to say that I have never made anything from it. To further add to this shame when the series to accompany the book was on TV not that long ago I never watched it. I did record it though and with a spare few minutes to myself on Friday night (before going to see Julie and Julia!) I manged to watch some of them.

This recipe appeared on the show when Bill went to Tassie (Tasmania), which is my home state. Firstly I would like to correct the misrepresentation that seems to always occur when you get 'Mainlanders' (people from the rest of Australia) visiting our small island and I'm afraid to say that Bill was no different, shame on you Bill! Contrary to popular belief it is not always winter in Tasmania. We get 4 very distinct season's, Autumn, Winter, Spring AND Summer. It just so happens that our winter's are a tad on the cooler side because we are further south and therefore closer to Antarctica but Summer temperatures can push the mercury through the roof too, for some reason Mainlanders never want to advertise that bit though.

I was feeling a wee bit miffed with Bill by the time he actually got around to making this recipe and I wanted to pay very little interest to it. Unfortunately it used two of my favourite things - apples and pancakes - but its not the recipes fault so I decided to bury the hatchet and make this for breakfast. It's not the prettiest looking breakfast in the world, and I was pleased to note that it isn't just down to my photography skills. The TV show and Bill's book haven't really done it any justice either but it needs to be tried to be believed - totally scrummy!

Bill's Puffed Apple Pancake

50g butter

4 tart green apples, such as Granny Smith's, peeled, cored and cut into eighths

3 tbsp brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla bean paste

1 tbsp lemon juice

90g plain flour

A pinch of salt

1 tsp finely grated lemon zest

1 tbsp vanilla caster sugar

4 eggs

185ml milk

Preheat the oven to 200C (220C for conventional ovens). Melt the butter in a 25cm frying pan with an ovenproof handle. Add the apples and cook for 5 mins over medium heat. Add the brown sugar, vanilla and lemon juice and cook, shaking the pan occasionally, until the butter has dissolved.

Mix the flour, salt, lemon zest and sugar together in a large bowl, make a well in the centre and slowly add the eggs and milk, whisking lightly to combine (don't worry too much about the lumps). Pour the batter evenly over the apples (it's fine if the apples show through). Put the pan in the oven and cook for 15 mins until puffed and golden. If your pan is shallow, place a baking tray underneath to catch any drips. Serve absolutely immediately with either yogurt, honey or maple syrup.

Serves 4

Bill Granger's 'Holiday'

Hubby has asked for this one again when we have visitors over, when making it the next time I will cut back on the butter and the sugar as it was quite sweet. The lemon gave it a really nice zesty hit too. I didn't have any Granny Smith's in the fruit bowl so I used one bramley in their place, just remember to cut the wedges on the thick side or they disintegrate before the batter is even added. I'd also serve it with the yogurt rather than the maple syrup, just to cut back on the sweetness.