To enter last week’s Free Range Chicken Garden book giveaway, I asked people to leave a comment with their favorite way to eat eggs. Scrambled or boiled with buttered toast was by far and away the most popular way to enjoy eggs. I quite enjoy eggs served that way too, but I was intrigued by Robin Wyll’s favorite recipe—an apple puff pancake–because it is so simple and uses so many eggs. At this time of year our girls each lay an egg a day, which adds up to nearly 3 dozen a week. Any recipe that calls for more than 3 eggs piques my interest and Robin’s calls for five!

I’ve made the recipe a few times now and have added my own little twist each time. First, I substituted the regular milk for almond milk because we do not usually have milk on hand at home. The next time I made it I added cardamom and vanilla. These additions made me think of chai tea, so I decided to try using strongly brewed chai tea for the liquid, rather than milk or almond milk. Delicious! The resulting pancake is probably a little less custard-y than one made with milk or cream, but it is sweet and spicy and entirely delicious. Thank you Robin! I hope you enjoy the book!

And thanks to everyone else who shared their egg eating ideas. I wish I could give away 130 copies of Jessi’s great book, but since I cannot I hope you will all still check it out. It really is a delightful and imminently useful read.

Spiced Apple Puff Pancake

Adapted from Farm Chicks in the Kitchen by Teri Edwards and Serena Thompson

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1/4 cup sweet cream butter (1/2 stick)

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 tea spoon ground cardamon

1 apple

5 eggs

1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup strongly brewed chai tea

1 teaspoon vanilla

dash of salt

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Place the butter, brown sugar, cinnamon and cardamon in the center of a cast iron skillet or pie plate and then set in the oven until the butter melts and becomes bubbly (3 to 5 minutes). Meanwhile, core the apple and slice it paper thin using a mandoline or a very sharp knife. Combine the eggs, flour, tea, vanilla, and salt in a blender and blend until smooth, about 30 seconds. Take the skillet or pie plate from the oven and tilt it back and forth to coat the sides with butter. Layer the apple over the butter and sugar, bake for 2 minutes. Then, pour the batter over the apples and bake until the pancake pulls away from the edges of the skillet or pie plate and is puffed and lightly browned on top, 18 to 20 minutes. Serve immediately with warm maple syrup (and extra butter if you are feeling decadent).

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