Spiced Apple Pancakes

Ingredients

• 1 cup flour
• 1 large apple
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 tbsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2/3 cup milk
• 1 egg
• 1 tbsp butter

Method

Whisk the egg-white to soft peaks — this is the structural foundation of the pancake. The protein denatures and traps air, creating lift that a whole egg alone won't deliver. Set aside. In a separate bowl, combine flour, caster sugar, cinnamon, baking-powder, and a pinch of salt. Stir the egg-yolk, milk, and vanilla into the dry ingredients until just combined — don't overmix, or gluten develops and the pancakes toughen. The batter should be lumpy.

Fold the egg white into the batter in two additions. Work gently; you're preserving those air pockets. If you're grating the apple, do it directly into the batter and fold through immediately — raw apple releases liquid quickly, and you want minimal time between grating and cooking. If slicing, keep the strips thin (about 2 mm) so they soften during the cook without hardening the centre of the pancake.

Heat a non-stick or well-seasoned cast-iron pan over medium-high until a drop of water beads and rolls across the surface. Add the butter and let it foam — this takes 30 seconds — then wipe away excess with a clean cloth so it coats evenly without pooling. Drop batter in 3-tablespoon dollops. The pancakes will hold their shape loosely; don't press them. Cook for 90 seconds until the underside is golden and the top surface loses its shine and begins to dimple. Flip and cook the second side for 60 seconds — it colours faster because the pan is hotter and the pancake is already set.

Serve warm. These pancakes are at their best within five minutes of cooking; the cinnamon-spiced crumb is tender and the apple still holds a whisper of texture. A spoonful of crème fraîche cuts the sweet and highlights the apple's tartness, or finish with a light dust of cinnamon and a squeeze of lemon.