Ingredients

• 1 3/4 pounds Macoun or other tart apples (4 to 6)
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/3 cup pure maple syrup
• 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 cup Grand Marnier
• 12 orange pancakes
• 1/2 cup well-chilled heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 cup crème fraîche*
• 1/2 cup fudge sauce
• *available at specialty foods shops and some supermarkets

Instructions

1. Peel and core apples and cut into 1/4-inch wedges. In a skillet heat butter over moderately high heat until foam subsides and sauté apples until a rich golden, 6 to 8 minutes. Reduce heat to low. Carefully stir in syrup, walnuts, cinnamon, and lemon juice and cook until apples are tender throughout but not mushy and liquid is reduced to a syrup-like consistency. Remove skillet from heat and stir in Grand Marnier. Cook filling over low heat 1 minute to blend flavors and keep warm. Filling may be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered. Reheat filling before proceeding.
2. Preheat oven to 250°F.
3. Put 2 1/2 tablespoons warm apple filling in center of each pancake and roll up pancakes tightly to enclose filling. In a baking pan keep filled pancakes warm in oven.
4. Make cinnamon cream: In a bowl with a whisk or an electric mixer beat cream with confectioners' sugar and cinnamon until it holds soft peaks and fold in crème fraîche. Put 2 filled pancakes on each of 6 dessert plates. Top pancakes with some cinnamon cream and drizzle with fudge sauce.
5. In a bowl with a whisk or an electric mixer beat cream with confectioners' sugar and cinnamon until it holds soft peaks and fold in crème fraîche.
6. Put 2 filled pancakes on each of 6 dessert plates. Top pancakes with some cinnamon cream and drizzle with fudge sauce.