Puffy Pear Pancake Recipe

Place an 8- to 10-inch frying pan with ovenproof handle over medium heat.
Add anise seed and butter.
When butter melts, add pears; cook until fruit is lightly browned on both cut and rounded sides, about 10 minutes; turn pears over occasionally.
When pears are browned, turn cut side down and space evenly apart in pan; remove from heat but keep warm.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whip egg whites on high speed until foamy, then whip in sugar.
Continue beating-until whites hold stiff peaks.
With unwashed beaters, beat yolks in another bowl until double in volume, then stir in vanilla and flour; beat until well mixed.
Stir about 1/4 of the whites into yolks, then fold yolk mixture gently into whites.
Pour egg mixture over warm pears, pushing batter down between fruit with a slender spatula.
Cook over medium heat until pancake is dark gold on bottom (lift a corner with a spatula to check).
Then bake pancake in a 300° oven until the top is dark gold color and the center is set (cut to test), about 15 minutes.
With a knife, loosen pancake from pan sides.
Place a large plate (slightly wider than frying pan) over the pan; invert pancake and lift off frying pan.
Cut into 6 wedges