Soufflé Pancake with Cinnamon Apples
Fluffy soufflé pancake, inspired by Bette’s Oceanview Diner in Berkeley, California, topped with sautéed cinnamon apples.
This isn’t my first rodeo with soufflé pancakes! However, this Soufflé Pancake is a true soufflé pancake.
There is very little flour in this soufflé pancake recipe (a quarter cup total). The bulk of the pancake batter consists of eggs and milk.
With that said, I think I’ve officially given up on photographing anything that involves the word “soufflé.” These raspberry soufflés and this soufflé pancake might be the end of the road for me.
It is similar to a Dutch baby pancake batter, but much lighter and fluffier in texture. Today’s recipe makes one massive 8-inch diameter pancake that is wonderfully fat and fluffy.
Like these pumpkin soufflé pancakes, whipped egg whites are folded into the pancake batter. The batter is poured into a hot skillet and cooked briefly over the stove before being transferred under the oven broiler.
This recipe is inspired and lightly adapted from the famous soufflé pancakes at Bette’s Oceanview Diner in Berkeley, California. See how fluffy? That is how fluffy these pancakes are in real life.
The diner is a Berkeley institution and has been around for over thirty years. Naturally my oldest sister, Alessandra, the family pancake fanatic, took us there immediately. Literally, it was our first stop off of the plane.
It really was one of the best pancake experiences of my life.
So, how did I make said pancake, three years later, in the comfort of my own kitchen? Well, Bette’s sells a little Pancake Handbook brimming with their specialty pancake recipes.
It is a teeny tiny cookbook that contains absolutely no pictures, but I adore it. It is one of my most loved cookbooks and if I’m feeling pancake deprived, it is my go-to resource.
This soufflé pancake comes straight out of their cookbook, but I’ve added cinnamon apples to give it a fall twist. The apples are chopped and sautéed in butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon over the stove top, and spread on the top of the pancake just before placing it under the broiler.
Although this pancake recipe is not complicated or hard, it does require a bit of finesse during cooking. Or, in better terms, a watchful eye. Although I’ve listed estimated times in the recipe, it is really important to use your own judgement for this dish and adjust as necessary, as different broilers and cooking equipment will vary.
If the pancake is browning faster than you would like, turn down the heat. If the pancake is finished in the broiler before the time allotted, take it out. Watch it carefully and you’ll be fine!
Soufflé Pancake with Cinnamon Apples
Ingredients
Cinnamon Apples:
- 1½ tablespoons (22g) unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon packed dark brown sugar
- 2 Honeycrisp apples peeled, cored, and chopped
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Souffle Pancake:
- 2 large egg yolks
- ½ cup (120 mL) half and half see recipe notes
- ¼ cup (30g) unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1½ tablespoons (22g) unsalted butter melted
- ½ teaspoon (4g) granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 large egg whites
- warm maple syrup for serving
Instructions
- Set the oven broiler to medium-high. Meanwhile, prepare the cinnamon apples by combining the butter and brown sugar in a medium skillet. Place over medium heat and stir until the sugar dissolves and the butter begins to bubble slightly. Add the chopped apple and ground cinnamon and stir the mixture together until the apples are evenly coated with the butter-sugar mixture. Reduce heat to low and continue to sauté for 2 to 3 minutes or until the apples are slightly translucent, yet still hold their shape. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly while you prepare the soufflé pancake batter.
- Prepare Soufflé Pancake: In a large bowl, beat the egg yolks and half and half together until smooth. Add the flour, stirring until just combined, then add the melted butter, sugar, and salt.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer (or separate clean bowl), fitted with a whisk attachment, whip the egg whites until they form soft peaks. Using a spatula, gently fold the egg whites into the wet batter. Do not over mix.
- Lightly butter a 10-inch (oven and broiler safe) non-stick or cast-iron skillet. Note: if using cast-iron, make sure it is very clean and watch cook time carefully as the pancake has a tendency to cook faster. Place the skillet over high heat on the stove until it is almost smoking. Immediately add the pancake batter to the pan and decrease the heat to low. Cook for an additional 4 to 5 minutes. Watch closely, if the pancake is starting to brown too quickly on the bottom, reduce the heat or transfer to the oven ahead of time.
- Once the bottom of the pancake is lightly brown and the batter has firmed slightly, top the pancake with the cinnamon apple mixture, distributing it evenly among the pan.
- Place the pan 4 to 5 inches below the oven broiler and cook for an additional 2 to 4 minutes (watch carefully during this step to avoid burning) or until the pancake is very fluffy and tall. The center of the pancake should still be a little soft. Remove from the oven and slide the pancake onto a warmed plate. Serve immediately with warm maple syrup.
Tips for Success:
- If you don’t want to buy or never have half and half on hand (i.e. me), you can make your own by combining equal parts heavy cream and whole milk.
49 Comments on “Soufflé Pancake with Cinnamon Apples”
A souffle pancake is just a dutch baby, yes?
Hi Lauren! No, soufflé pancakes are different because whipped egg whites are folded into the batter at the end. They are a lot fatter and fluffier than Dutch Babies, at least in my experience! Hope this helps!
Haha – I’ve totally been there before too. I think I’m not coordinated enough to hold the camera with one hand while doing something that requires precision in the other. Yet, I’m also too lazy to pull out the tripod! This photo is STILL gorgeous, so it’s a win in my book!
Love that you adapted the souffle pancake from Bette’s Diner – You’ve converted me into thinking I actually do like breakfast after all.
Have you been to Bette’s? I’m assuming you have! 🙂
Awww I like your off-center pour! Adds character. 😛
My stomach is growling just looking at these!
FWIW I think you did JUST fine. That photo is lovely and the dish looks amazing. Great seasonal recipe!
Ha – attempting to do an in-action shot that turns into pouring maple syrup or a cups of powdered sugar all over the table is my specialty. Glad to see you at least landed on the Souffle!
Mmmm that looks delish! Such a great use for fresh apples. I would definitely wake up early for this.
And honestly that action shot looks amazing and delicious anyway, I wouldn’t worry 🙂
This looks amazing Laura!! Lovely fall flavours going on and your photos are making my mouth water!
Dead center syrup pouring is totally over-rated. This looks like an awesome breakfast treat! How have I missed out on Bette’s Oceanview Diner?!? I love that area of Berkeley! I’ll have to check it out soon!