Gingerbread-Spiced Apple Pancakes

In 'Williams-Sonoma: Breakfast Comforts'

• Ready In: 1 hr
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1  cup  apple juice
• 1  cup pure maple syrup
• 2  golden delicious apples, peeled and cored (or Granny Smith)
• 2 1⁄4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1⁄4 cup  firmly packed light brown sugar
• 2  teaspoons baking powder
• 1⁄4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1⁄4 teaspoon  freshly grated nutmeg
• 1⁄2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 3⁄4 cups  whole milk
• 2  large eggs
• 2  tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (plus room temperature butter for serving)
•  canola oil, for cooking

Directions

1. In a small saucepan, bring the apple juice to a boil over high heat.
2. Boil until reduced to about 1/3 cup, about 10 minutes.
3. Remove from the heat and whisk in the maple syrup.
4. Cover and set aside to keep warm.
5. Preheat the oven to 200°; have ready a rimmed baking sheet.
6. Using a food processor fitted with the shredding disk, or the large holes of a box grater, shred the apples.
7. You should have about 1 1/2 cups.
8. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice, ginger, nutmeg, and salt, rubbing the brown sugar through the mesh with your fingers.
9. In a medium bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, and melted butter.
10. Pour over the flour mixture and add the shredded apples.
11. Stir just until combined; to not overmix.
12. Place a griddle over high heat until hot.
13. Lightly oil the griddle.
14. For each pancake, pour about 1/3 cup of the batter onto the griddle and spread it slightly with the back of the measuring cup.
15. Cook until bubbles form and break on the surface, about 1 1/2 minutes.
16. Flip the pancakes and cook until the other sides are golden brown, about 1 minute more.
17. Transfer to the baking sheet and keep warm in the oven.
18. Repeat until all of the batter is used, oiling the griddle as needed.
19. If batter begins to thicken, thin it with a bit more milk.
20. Serve the pancakes piping hot, with plenty of butter and the syrup.