Apple Pancakes

I love these pancakes with apple slices because they are made from basic ingredients. I recommend using ordinary apples, preferably local. The ones from your own garden or purchased from grandmothers at the market are perfect. They will be fragrant and delicious - real ones. As for the flour, it's difficult to determine the exact amount since the consistency of kefir can vary. Out of habit, I add a leavening agent to the batter, although I have read that if you make batter with kefir, you don't need any leavening agent at all. But I think that's true only when you use homemade kefir made from homemade milk. Then it leavens the batter so well that no additional helpers are needed. However, if you use store-bought kefir, unfortunately, you can't do without a leavening agent. But if you don't have it on hand, you can use grandma's method: simply add some baking soda dissolved in vinegar.

The batter is prepared very quickly. Slightly beat kefir with eggs and sugar. My grandmother taught me to always add a pinch of salt, so I still do that. Mix the flour with the leavening agent and gradually add it to the kefir mixture. We need to achieve a batter consistency similar to thick sour cream. And don't forget to thoroughly mix in any lumps. Done!

Before frying the pancakes, prepare the apples. We won't add them to the batter like it's often done. We'll do it differently. So, wash the apples, remove any unwanted parts, and slice them thinly. If you really don't like apple skins, you can also peel the apples - it's a matter of taste and preference. Now, heat a skillet, pour in a little vegetable oil. Spoon the batter and shape the pancakes. Place two or three apple slices on each pancake. I lightly press the slices into the batter to secure them in the pancakes. And don't worry, when you flip the pancakes, nothing bad will happen to the apples - they won't fall out or burn. Instead, they will add a juicy and caramelized flavor to the homemade pancakes.

The finished pancakes with apple slices look very elegant. You can serve them with hot tea or coffee, or with cold milk. Drizzle the pancakes with honey or sprinkle them with finely grated zest to add an extra flavor dimension.