Christmas pancakes

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 200 g flour
• 300 ml milk
• 200 ml mineral water
• 2 pinches of salt
• 2 eggs
• 100 ml oil, tasteless (e.g. grape seed oil)
• 2 apples, sour
• 75 g almonds, whole
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp butter
• ½ lemon(s), the juice
• anise
• Cinnamon

Instructions

Working time approx. 40 minutes; Rest time approx. 2 hours; Total time approx. 2 hours 40 minutes

with cinnamon, apple and almond filling

The ingredients are designed for 4 people and should be enough for 16 pancakes. Place the flour, eggs, and a pinch of salt in a container that’s at least 1 liter in size and mix lightly. Then, gradually add the milk, followed by the sparkling water, and finally about 80 ml of the oil. Stir continuously (you may need to use a suitable cooking appliance to help you) until there are no lumps left. Let the batter rest at room temperature for about 2 hours. In the meantime, bring some water to a boil and briefly add the almonds. Then peel the almonds and spread them on a paper towel to dry. Briefly stir the batter again. Heat some oil in a small pan and evenly spread about a ladleful of batter. When the batter starts to pull away from the pan, turn the pancake over. For the remaining pancakes, the pancakes don’t need to be oiled beforehand, as the oil in the batter is sufficient. Collect the finished pancakes on a plate. Meanwhile, line a cake rack (not a baking sheet!) with parchment paper and spread the dried, skinned almonds on it. Roast in the oven at approximately 180°C. Once the almonds have turned a light brown, remove them from the oven immediately (it’s best to check the almonds frequently, as they burn very easily!). After all the pancake batter has been used up, clean the pan slightly if necessary. Peel and core the apples, and cut them into approximately 1/2 cm pieces. Place the cooked apple pieces in cold water with a few drops of lemon juice. Caramelize the sugar in the pan, add the butter, honey, and then the almonds, stirring continuously with a wooden spoon. Then remove the apple pieces from the lemon water and add them to the pan. Stir well and season with plenty of cinnamon, a little less anise, and a pinch of salt. Simmer for a few minutes. Season to taste with freshly squeezed lemon juice. Fill each pancake with approximately 1-1 1/2 tablespoons of the filling and heat thoroughly in the oven at approximately 100°C. Then serve. Tip: When seasoning the fruit sauce, mint, a pinch of fresh pepper, and a few drops of balsamic vinegar add a final touch. Tip 2: If this is still too “low-calorie” for you, you can serve the pancakes with a light vanilla sauce.