Apam Balik – Peanut Pancake (Malaysia)
Yield: 3 pancakes
Discover the sweet, nutty flavors of Malaysia with these Apam Balik peanut pancakes. Crispy on the outside, soft and fluffy inside, each pancake is filled with a rich peanut crumble and optionally drizzled with sweetened condensed milk or jam for extra indulgence. Perfect as a snack or dessert, these pancakes bring the vibrant street food of Southeast Asia straight to your kitchen.
Ingredients:
Pancake Batter:
- 1 ½ cups (180 g) all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp (3 g) baking soda
- 1 tsp (3 g) instant yeast
- 2 tbsp (25 g) sugar
- ½ tsp (3 g) salt
- 1 egg
- 2 cups (470 ml) milk
- Butter for greasing the pan
Filling:
- 1 ½ cups (213 g) unsalted roasted peanuts
- 1/3 cup (66 g) granulated sugar
- 2 tbsp (28 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
To Finish:
- ½ cup jam of your choice (optional)
- Sweetened condensed milk (optional)
Method:
Add the egg, milk, flour, baking soda, instant yeast, sugar, and salt to a blender and blend until combined. Leave the batter to rest for 1 hour or place in the fridge overnight.
If placing the batter in the fridge, allow it to come up to room temperature for 30 minutes before proceeding.
Add the peanuts, sugar, and butter to the bowl of a food processor and pulse until the peanuts are chopped and the mixture has the consistency of a crumble topping.
Warm a medium (8 to 12 inch) skillet over medium heat. Use a paper towel or brush to wipe a thin layer of butter onto the skillet. Pour in 1/3 of the batter and tilt the skillet to coat evenly. Cover with a lid and allow to cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the top of the pancake has started to firm up. Do not flip the pancake.
Uncover the skillet and top the pancake with 1/3 of the peanut mixture. Cover the pan again and continue to cook for another 2 minutes, or until the bottom of the pancake has browned (use a spatula to check).
Flip one half of the pancake over onto the other half to form a sandwich. Transfer the pancake to a cutting board and slice in half.
Repeat to make 2 more pancakes.
Warm the jam slightly if using in a small saucepan or microwave and serve in a ramekin for dipping or drizzled over the pancakes. Or drizzle with sweetened condensed milk.