Spiced Souffle Crepe with Sauteed Apples

Yield: Serves 8 to 10
Time:

Fantastic. I’ve done this cutting the apples into 1/8ths slices, and by cutting the apples into 1/4″ cubes. Spiraling the slices looks really nice. Don’t forget to remove vanilla pod before pouring into pan, and lastly, vanilla ice cream is excellent accompaniment.

Tart apples are particularly abundant in the late fall. The original recipe used Granny Smith apples, but you can try this recipe with Empire, Macoun, Honeycrisp, Winesap or Pippin.

Ingredients

5 tablespoons unsalted butter
6 sprigs thyme
4 tart apples, peeled, cored and quartered
3/4 cup, plus 2 tablespoons, sugar
1 vanilla bean, halved lengthwise, seeds scraped out, pod and seeds reserved
5 tablespoons melted butter
7 eggs, separated
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/2 cup, plus 1 tablespoon, cake flour
Salt
2 cups whole milk, at room temperature
Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting
Vanilla ice cream or crème fraîche (optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a 12-inch iron skillet, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter with the thyme sprigs over medium-high heat. Add the apples and brown on all sides until just tender when pierced with a fork, 10 to 15 minutes. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of the sugar and cook, gently stirring, until the sugar dissolves and the apples caramelize, about 1 to 2 minutes more. Remove the thyme and set the apples aside. Wipe the skillet clean.
In a large bowl, whisk together the vanilla pod and seeds with the melted butter, egg yolks, 1/2 cup of the sugar, cinnamon, allspice, cake flour and a pinch of salt. Whisk in the milk until combined.
Whisk the egg whites with a pinch of salt, gradually adding the remaining 1/4 cup sugar. Whip to soft peaks, and then fold into the batter.
Melt the remaining 3 tablespoons butter in the clean skillet over medium-high heat, swirling the butter up the sides of the pan. When the butter is foamy, spread the sautéed apples in the pan, then pour in the batter. Transfer to the oven and bake uncovered until the center of crepe no longer wobbles when shaken, 20 to 25 minutes. Sift confectioners’ sugar on top, and if you like, serve with vanilla ice cream or crème fraîche.