Buttermilk Pancakes with Maple Syrup Apples

I made this recipe this morning.  I mixed the dry ingredients the night before to save some time.  These are by far the best pancakes ever and the apples make them even better!  This recipe is taken from "The Epicurious Cookbook - More than 250 of our best-loved four-fork recipes" by Tanya Steel and the editors of Epicurious.

For Maple Syrup Apples
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) unsalted butter
3 large Golden Delicious apples, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/2-inch slices (about 1 1/2 pounds)
1 tablespoon plus 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

For Pancakes
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons yellow cornmeal
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt
1 large egg
1 1/2 tablespoons, unsalted butter, melted
Unsalted butter, for griddle
Maple syrup, for serving

Make Maple Syrup Apples
Melt the butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the apples and 1 tablespoon maple syrup; saute until apples are tender, about 5 minutes.  Mix in remaining 1/2 cup maple syrup and cinnamon.

Make Pancakes
1. Combine the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder and soda, and salt in a large bowl; whisk to blend.  Whisk the buttermilk, yogurt, and egg in a medium bowl to blend; add to the dry ingredients and stir until just blended but still lumpy.  Gently mix in the melted butter.
2. Heat a griddle or large nonstick skillet over medium heat.  Spread a thin coating of butter over the griddle and let melt.  Working in batches, drop the batter by 1/3 cupfuls onto the griddle, spacing apart.  Cook the pancakes until brown on the bottom and bubbles form on top, about 3 minutes.  Turn the pancakes over and cook until the bottoms are brown and pancakes are barely firm to touch.  Transfer to plates.  Repeat with the remaining batter, adding more butter to griddle as needed.
3. Spoon the apples over the pancakes.  Serve, passing additional maple syrup.
Yield: Makes 4 servings 

Whole-Wheat Buttermilk Pancakes

I thought that the whole wheat would stand out in this recipe, but they honestly taste very close to the buttermilk Aunt Jemima mix. My kids devoured them! I mixed all the dry ingredients the night before and added the wet in the morning. I did not use low-fat buttermilk. I also added blueberries to half the batter. This recipe was taken from Cooking Light magazine March 2010. 

3.4 ounces all-purpose flour (about 3/4 cup) 
3.6 ounces whole-wheat flour (about 3/4 cup) 
3 tablespoons sugar 
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 
1/2 teaspoon baking soda 
1/2 teaspoon salt 
1 1/2 cups low-fat buttermilk 
1 tablespoon canola oil 
1 large egg 
1 large egg white 
Cooking spray 

1. Weigh or lightly spoon flours into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flours, sugar, and next 3 ingredients (through salt) in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Combine buttermilk, oil, egg, and egg white, stirring with a whisk. Add buttermilk mixture to flour mixture, stirring just until moist. 

2. Heat a nonstick griddle or nonstick skillet over medium heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Spoon about 1/4 cup batter per pancake onto griddle. Turn pancakes over when tops are covered with bubbles and edges look cooked. Serve with butter and syrup. Yield: 6 servings.