Thick Crêpes with Sautéed Apples (Kouigns Bigoudens aux Pommes)

Name: Thick Crêpes with Sautéed Apples (Kouigns Bigoudens aux Pommes)
Total time: PT0D0H0M
Yield: serves 8
Ingredients: 1 cup warm milk; 1 tsp. active dry yeast; 1 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. sugar; 1 1 ⁄ 3 cups flour; 1 tsp. ground cinnamon; 1 ⁄ 4 tsp. salt; 1 egg, at room temperature; 8 Tbsp. unsalted butter, plus more; 6 Tbsp. unsalted butter; 6 small red apples, such as Gala, cored and cut into 6 wedges each; 6 Tbsp. sweet hard apple cider; 1 ⁄ 4 cup sugar; Confectioners' sugar, to serve

Serves
serves 8

SAVEUR EDITORS

These yeasted crêpes—chewy and thick—look like American pancakes, defying conventional expectations of the way crêpes should look.

Ingredients

For the Kouigns

1 cup warm milk
1 tsp. active dry yeast
1 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. sugar
1 ¹⁄₃ cups flour
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
¹⁄₄ tsp. salt
1 egg, at room temperature
8 Tbsp. unsalted butter, plus more

For the Sautéed Apples and to Serve

6 Tbsp. unsalted butter
6 small red apples, such as Gala, cored and cut into 6 wedges each
6 Tbsp. sweet hard apple cider
¹⁄₄ cup sugar
Confectioners' sugar, to serve

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Instructions

Step 1

For the cêpes: Whisk together 1⁄4 cup milk, yeast, and 1 tsp. sugar in a bowl; let foam, about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, whisk together flour, 1 tbsp. sugar, cinnamon, and tsp. salt; add to yeast mixture and whisk to combine. While gently whisking, drizzle in remaining 3⁄4 cup milk; continue whisking until just combined. In a separate bowl, beat egg with an electric mixer until thick and airy, 4–5 minutes. Gently fold egg into batter. Cover batter; let rise in a warm spot for 3 hours.

Step 2

For the apples: Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add apples and cook, turning once, until slightly softened, 8–10 minutes. Add cider and sprinkle sugar over top; cook until tender and sauce is thickened, 5–6 minutes more.

Step 3

To serve: Melt 1 tbsp. butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Wipe off excess. Working in batches, pour about 1⁄4 cup batter into skillet to form a 4"-wide cake. Cook, flipping once, until puffed and golden brown, 10–12 minutes total. Spread a dab of butter both sides of crêpe; briefly cook again on both sides until lightly crisp. Top with apples and their sauce. Dust with confectioners' sugar.

For the cêpes: Whisk together 1⁄4 cup milk, yeast, and 1 tsp. sugar in a bowl; let foam, about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, whisk together flour, 1 tbsp. sugar, cinnamon, and tsp. salt; add to yeast mixture and whisk to combine. While gently whisking, drizzle in remaining 3⁄4 cup milk; continue whisking until just combined. In a separate bowl, beat egg with an electric mixer until thick and airy, 4–5 minutes. Gently fold egg into batter. Cover batter; let rise in a warm spot for 3 hours.
For the apples: Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add apples and cook, turning once, until slightly softened, 8–10 minutes. Add cider and sprinkle sugar over top; cook until tender and sauce is thickened, 5–6 minutes more.
To serve: Melt 1 tbsp. butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Wipe off excess. Working in batches, pour about 1⁄4 cup batter into skillet to form a 4"-wide cake. Cook, flipping once, until puffed and golden brown, 10–12 minutes total. Spread a dab of butter both sides of crêpe; briefly cook again on both sides until lightly crisp. Top with apples and their sauce. Dust with confectioners' sugar.