Apple Pancakes

Ingredients:
2 cups all purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 T sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 3/4 cup whole milk
1/4 cup plus two tablespoons melted butter (plus more for the pan)
1 T maple syrup

Optional: 2 to 3 granny smith apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced; blueberries or other fruits

Preparing the pancakes:
Sift the dry ingredients together and set aside. Put the eggs, vanilla extract and milk in a mixing bowl and beat at a high speed with an electric mixer or whisk for a few minutes until the liquid looks frothy. Add the flour and mix on the lowest speed until the large lumps disappear. Gently blend in the melted butter and apples. Do not over mix.

Melt a tablespoon of butter in a heavy skillet over a medium high heat. The pan needs to be hot. Test it by putting a drop of batter in the pan. If it sizzles, it's hot enough. Using a soup ladle, add as many pancakes to the pan as it will hold without crowding. When you start to see bubbles forming and the edges starting to harden, flip the pancakes over and cook for a few minutes on the other side. Serve with warm maple syrup.

Serves 4

* * * * * *

Preparing the apples:
Melt the two tablespoons of butter in a pan. When the butter just starts to bubble, add the apples. Cook over a medium heat until they start to release their liquid. Add the maple syrup and cook until the apples start to caramelize. Remove from heat and set aside.