Breakfast Skillet Cake

There are some people that, when you meet them, you can tell they are going to become a big part of your life. You just know, you know?

friend shane. avec beer.

And then there are those people that don’t.

yeeeeeah, i don’t get dressed when i’m at home. ever

If we talk about the latter, said gentleman seems very sweet, very funny, and generally an all around good kinda guy. He’s always friendly and he just radiates good energy – even though our only actual contact has been via the following scenario.

happy john

I’m at work one day (this was a month or so ago), he waltzes in doing the job that he does – he’s a beer rep for Phillips, a local brewery on the island. THE brewery on the island, as far as I’m concerned. Again, not getting paid for this via Phillips (or anyone else for that matter), but I wish I was. So anyway, he waltzes in, gets into conversation with a server about his breakfast the past weekend and my ears immediately perk up. I rudely interject myself into the conversation and ask for details. Nay, I demand them. And then that next Saturday, I get up nice and early and I make…

trying (with great difficult) to get that sucker open

Breakfast. Skillet. Cake.

….20 minutes later…

Essentially, this bad boy is a heavenly batch of pancakes, baked in a cast-iron skillet with all the goodness of breakfast pumped right in – apples, cinnamon, and oh so amazing spicy chorizo via Terra Nossa Farms. We indulged by pouring warm maple syrup over the top, relaxed with our coffee in the backyard – nothing beats the freshness of morning dew – and chowed the crap down on this cake. Heck, we finished it right off. You want to make this breakfast – believe me. Or at the very least believe your tummy…

success! well, sort of.

P.S. Speaking of Phillips, they just celebrated their 10 year anniversary! Friend Shane, who is always more generous and thoughtful than one friend should be, brought over a massive 3L special addition commemorative champagne style corked bottle of Imperial IPA as a gift to John and I and the culmination of our new jobs.

oh heavenly beer!

It was hoppy, delicious, and everything I have come to expect Phillips to be. Essentially it was nothing short of spectacular. Oh, and did I mention the alcohol content was 10%?

You probably won’t find any on the shelves by now (or if you do, lucky day!), but go try some of their other stuff – I especially recommend the Raspberry Wheat Ale, The Ginger Beer, and the Double Chocolate Porter.

Breakfast Skillet Cake

Ingredients

1 1/4 C White All-Purpose Flour.
1 Tbsp Baking Powder.
2 Tsp White Sugar + 1 Tbsp.
2 Tsp Sea Salt.
1 C Milk (cow's milk works best, though if you sub rice or soy you may need to adjust the quantities).
1 Large Free-Range Organic Egg.
1/2 Tbsp Melted Butter + 1 Tbsp @ room temperature.
2 Tsp Pure Vanilla Extract.
1 Large Granny Smith Apple, cored & cut into 1/2" wedges.
2 Happy Sausages, cut with some fennel is good though we used chorizo.
2 Tsp Ground Cinnamon.
Maple Syrup.

Instructions

Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees F.
Heat a medium sized cast-iron skillet (approx 9") over low-medium heat. Once hot, add your sausages and cook through, turning every so often to ensure even cooking & browning.
Remove from the heat and set aside. If there is a spoonful or more of grease in the pan, drain and set aside.
Now, slice your sausages lengthwise (or chop into 1" bits if you like).
In a small bowl, mix together the cinnamon and 1 Tbsp of sugar.
In a larger bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, salt, and 2 Tsp of the sugar.
And yet in another bowl, combine the milk, egg, vanilla, and melted butter.
Combine both wet and dry bowls, whisking well. The batter should have little bubbles in it when you're done.
Now, pour the batter into the slightly cooled skillet.
Push in the sausages in all over the place. And top with the apples, dotting the cinnamon/sugar mixture over top and daub with the room temperature butter.
Bake in the oven for 25 - 35 minutes, or until golden on top and starting to pull away from the sides of pan oh so slightly. You can check for doneness by inserting a knife into the middle - if it comes up clean, it's ready!
Slice and douse with maple syrup.
Eat.