Russian Apple Pancakes

(Don't be put off by the less-than-glorious appearance. These were so good!)

I think yeasted pancakes are seriously under-rated. I know most people adore the flap-jack kind of pancakes, but I've never really been into them. Yeasted pancakes, however, are an entirely different story. I love the faintly-yeasted taste, the wonderful smell as they cook, the doughy but satisfying texture. Mmm.


This is the second time I made these apple pancakes. The first time, the apples (they go on the bottom of the pan) were burn to a crisp. Seriously. They were pitch-black and crumbly. Somehow the dough part on top escaped untouched by the crisis below, and was cinnamon sugar-y, apple-y perfection. I knew I'd be trying this recipe again. I changed the way I cooked them a little bit this time, and although some of the apples still stuck to the bottom of the pan, this was, believe it or not, a vast improvement from the last time. I think I know what I have to do next time to make it even better.

This recipe is adapted from HomeBaking: the Artful Mix of Flour and Traditions from Around the World, by Jeffery Alford and Naomi Dugoid. Alford and Dugoid are hands-down my favourite cookbook authors, ever. They travel the world, especially Asia, and produce delightful cookbooks that are part cookbook, part travelogue, part photography book. Beautiful.