One of the main things I wanted to do was to try two different restaurants’ cheese and apple Dutch pancakes because that would hopefully give me a better understanding of the variations of my favorite kind so I can try to make it at home. Hopefully! Two destinations for authentic Dutch pancakes in Amsterdam are The Pancake Bakery and Pancakes!. They used different cheeses and apples at each of those places which helped me decide which I prefer and why. Want to know what I prefer? Here’s the recipe I came up with after tweaking an American waffle batter recipe a bit.
Dutch Pancake for Two
Butter
2 apples, Granny Smith or Pink Lady
Pinch of salt, ground cinnamon, and ground nutmeg
3/4 cups flour
4 eggs
5 teaspoons powdered sugar
2/3 cup whole milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 to 6 slices young Gouda cheese
1. Preheat the oven to 350F/175C.
2. Cut the apples into slices no fatter than 1/4-inch thick. Do this immediately before or they will turn brown on the edges.
3. Spread butter around the edges and bottom of a round stainless or non-stick stove-top and oven-safe pan 9″ to 12″ across. Turn the stove top burner on to medium and add the apple slices one-layer deep into the pan. Sprinkle a bit of cinnamon and warm them for 5 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, mix the pancake batter by blending the flour, eggs, 3 teaspoons of the powdered sugar, salt, milk, and vanilla extract in a mixing bowl. Get the mix smooth and not lumpy.
5. Arrange slices of Gouda on top of the sautéed apple slices then pour the pancake batter over top. Place in the oven and bake for 10-15 minutes. It may take longer in some ovens. Remove when cooked but not dried out.
6. Run a spatula or butter knife around the edge of the pan to loosen the pancake and invert it so the apple layer is on top and slide it back in the pan or onto a preheated pizza stone. Then add more Gouda on top of the apple layer in small bits or to make a star pattern. I tried it both ways as you can see by the photos. Put back in the oven for another 10 minutes. For extra browning on the top, use the broiler/grill element for the final couple of minutes.
7. Serve hot with a sprinkling of powdered sugar and a dash of ground nutmeg and cinnamon. Cut in half and serve with a side salad or bowl of hot French onion soup.
