There’s no need to write a big long story about my love of Dutch Baby Pancakes. They’re just tasty and I love to make them because it’s sooooo easy.
Since the pancake itself does not have sugar in it, you can top this with the sweet fruit topping we love or use it as a base for something savory like steamed veggies with yummy spices or as a base for something leftover from last night’s dinner.
So here’s what I’ve learned:
- use a 12” pan. Cast iron is ideal but not necessary. A curved fry pan seems to be easier to get it out than an high sided chicken fryer style pan.
- preheat the oven to 425 because you want to get this baby in the oven right away for best results.
- Use whatever fruits you want for the topping or eat it plain with syrup. You do you, boo, and be as creative as you want.
- REAL butter makes this even better but the yummy vegan butter (not your average margarine) is also pretty darn tasty
On to the ingredients:
- 3 large eggs
- 3/4 cup milk
- 3/4 cup all purpose flour (though I have used bread flour with equal success)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or 1/2 teaspoon powdered vanilla bean
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon to sprinkle on top
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 4 Tablespoons butter
On the stove, melt the butter in your pan. The goal here is to melt the butter but also to get your pan warmed up.
I like to use my kitchenaid mixer for this part but you can also use a blender or just whisk it like you mean it:
Beat the eggs until they’re frothy. Add in milk, vanilla and salt and beat it some more. Finally, add in the flour and beat it one last time. The batter is going to be really thin. That’s good!
When the butter is totally melted in the skillet on the stove pour your batter in. Sprinkle the cinnamon on top and pop this baby in the oven for 18-20 minutes.
I usually go for 20 minutes with my oven but check it at 18. It’s going to be all super fluffy around the edges and pretty flat in the middle. That’s the goal here!
...in the meantime...
The fruit topping:
- 1 cup blueberries (or chopped apple, or strawberries or raspberries or mulberries or whatever the heck kind of fruit you want)
- 1 Tablespoon butter
- 2 Tablespoons maple syrup ( I love the syrup from Jason Michael Thomas drive up farm stand) or honey (again - Jason Michael Thomas has the good stuff. I also love Eagle Creek Apiary. Nope. I’m not sponsored. Just sharing what I love)
- Juice of 1 lime (or 2 Tablespoons of any kind of citrus juice that strikes your fancy or is in your kitchen)
In a 1 quart saucepan (or whatever you’ve got that’s smallish) on medium heat melt the butter, add the berries and juice. Stir and simmer until it is heated through. Add the syrup and simmer another minute or two. This whole process usually takes me about 5 minutes so I’ll do that as I’m waiting for the last few minutes of the Dutch Baby in the oven.
When the timer dings pull that Baby out of the oven remembering to use a pot holder or towel.
Pro tip (and by pro I mean idiot proof this thing) leave the pot holder or towel on the handle so you don’t accidentally pick up the pan to plate it and burn your hand on the hot ass handle. Ask me how I know.
Plate the Dutch Baby Pancake, add the fruit then top with a sprinkle of powdered sugar or freshly whipped vanilla cream.
ENJOY!
BONUS: freshly whipped vanilla cream is super easy if you have a hand mixer or stand mixer. Simply blend 1 cup of heavy cream, 1/4 cup powdered confectioner’s sugar and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla on high until stiff peaks form.
