Apple Yeast Pancakes (with Vanilla-Rum Sauce)

These are exceptionally good, simple pancakes. You only need a single egg, some yeast, milk and flour, plus a little sugar and oil and some cooking apples. Apart from those pantry (and fruit bowl) staples, nothing special is needed. That makes them a reliable option for a good late-autumn breakfast when you haven't gone grocery shopping quite yet.

I added some spices and walnuts, which went very well with the apples, but can be easily skipped. The mild yeast flavour of the batter and the apples are a good match. While I've got other, richer recipes for yeast pancakes, these can be fallen back upon when a single egg is all I've got. 

The vanilla sauce I made with rum was from the previous day (and my second-last egg) and when warmed, tasted extremely good with these pancakes in particular. Other good companions include sour cream, maple syrup (of course) and apple butter. Serve them hot and enjoy them in plenty- this recipe makes a lot. Halve it if you don't want to eat a dozen or aren't feeding a small army. I've got some in the freezer for the days when I don't have time to make pancakes, along with waffles and my new favourite homemade granola... it's good to be prepared.

Apple Yeast Pancakes
Adapted from Moje Wypieki
Makes a really, really large amount of pancakes

750-800 g. Flour (I used half type 550 and half bread flour)
1.5 L Milk, 3.8% is best
2-3 TBSP Brown sugar
42 g. Fresh yeast, or 3 Tsp. Active dry yeast
1 Tsp. Cinnamon
1/2 Tsp. Nutmeg
2 Tsp. Vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
1 TBSP Nut oil, or melted butter
1 Egg
5 Cooking apples, thinly sliced (with a mandoline is best)
2/3 C. Walnut pieces (optional)

Oil or butter, to fry
Syrup, vanilla sauce or cinnamon-sugar, to serve

Mix flour, salt and spices. In the middle, form a well.

Heat one cup of the milk until warm and dissolve the yeast and sugar. Add to the centre of the flour and let sit, covered, 10 to 15 minutes. Add the rest of the milk, vanilla, oil, and egg and mix well to combine.

Let rise covered for 1 1/2 hours.

Prepare a cup of hot water and two large spoons. Heat a nonstick skillet or cast iron pan with a bit of butter or oil. Use the spoons to scoop balls of dough onto the pan and use a spatula to press a few slices of apple into each (along with walnut pieces, if using). Cook for about a minute on each side and keep warm in a low-temperature oven until ready to serve.

Rum-Vanilla Sauce
400 ml. Milk, 3.8%
1/2 TBSP Cornstarch
1 Egg yolk
2 TBSP sugar, plus 1/2 TBSP vanilla sugar 
2 TBSP Dark rum
1 Tsp. Vanilla extract

Heat milk over medium heat until steaming in a small saucepan. In another bowl, combine cornstarch, sugar, and yolk with a whisk. 

Once milk is hot, use half a cup to temper the yolk mixture by whisking it in very quickly, until well-mixed. Pour into the pan with the rest of the milk and cook, while whisking, until it bubbles.

Remove from heat and whisk in rum and vanilla. Keep warm until serving.