Baked German Apple Pancake (Dutch Baby) with Nutmeg & Ginger

I have never had a dutch baby / baked pancake before so I couldn't tell you exactly how they SHOULD look or taste - I can just tell you how this one came out! It was so so pretty in the cast iron skillet (I think anything cooked in a cast iron is gorgeous - can't help it)!

Juicy, tender lightly spiced apples doused in a coating of thick pancake batter (it's on the "eggy" side, more custard-like than a traditional pancake batter).

The lovely apple base provides pretty much all the sauce / topping you'll need but I did find that I thought this recipe could have used more flavor and would add at least a teaspoon or so of cinnamon to the apples and / or batter next time for my tastes (could very well be the apples I used were very mild in flavor).

If you visit the link below to see the original recipe you'll see she inverted the whole dish onto a plate before cutting into wedges and serving - her pancake also looks like it may have been a tad more "done" then mine. Definitely room for interpretation and customization on this recipe - make it your own! We all thought a little bit of maple syrup drizzled over the top would have been really nice with this as well. The powdered sugar is beautiful and a perfect way to finish this easy and tasty Sunday brunch dish off with.

Baked German Apple Pancake (Dutch Baby) with Nutmeg & Ginger from Cookin Canuck

Ingredients

½ cup all-purpose flour
1 TBS granulated sugar
½ tsp salt
½ tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp ground ginger
⅔ cup half-and-half
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 TBS unsalted butter
1¼ lb (3 to 4 large) Gala or Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and cut into ½-inch slices
3 TBS packed brown sugar
1½ tsp fresh lemon juice
Powdered sugar for dusting
Suggested: 1 tsp cinnamon added to apples and / or batter for additional flavor if desired

Directions

1. Place an oven rack in the upper-middle position and preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, granulated sugar, salt, nutmeg, and ground ginger (add cinnamon if desired). In a medium bowl, whisk together half-and-half, eggs, and vanilla extract. Pour the half-and-half mixture into the flour mixture and whisk until smooth, without lumps.
3. In a 10-inch nonstick ovenproof skillet set over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Add the apples and brown sugar. Cook, stirring frequently, until the apples are golden brown, about 10 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in lemon juice. Pour the batter around the edges of the pan and then over top of the apples.
4. Place the skillet into the oven and immediately turn the heat to 425 degrees F. Bake until the pancake is brown and it has puffed above the edges of the skillet, 15 to 18 minutes. Using a rubber spatula, loosen the edges of the pancake from the skillet and invert the pancake onto a serving platter. Sift powdered sugar over the top of the pancake and cut it into wedges. Serve immediately.