Netherlandish Children

As I write this, tomorrow is Mardi Gras, alias Carnival, alias, Shrove Tuesday, alias Pancake Day—we’ve discussed this before. So a pancake recipe seemed apropos. This is an oven-baked pancake called a Dutch Baby. I don't know why. Feel free to google it if you're curious. Odds are the original name of it was "Deutsch," rather than "Dutch," and it appears to be a regional American dish. It’s a sweet breakfast dish where I come from. That said, there are all kinds of sweet and savory variations on this, most notably the Popover and the Yorkshire Pudding. 

There are numerous recipes for Dutch Baby (Babies?) out there, but I’m using Carrie Vasios’ version from Serious Eats, although I, as usual, have gone a slightly lazier route than the one she takes.

There’s not much to this, frankly. You mix up a batter, pour it into a hot pan, and bake it. But the hot pan is crucial, as any English cook who’s proud of his or her Yorkshire Pudding will tell you. Thus we start with the beloved cast-iron skillet, which you have seen before. This one is about 10 inches in diameter, which is about the size you want. If you don’t have a cast-iron skillet, any oven-safe pan will do, including a cake pan.

So put whatever pan you’ve chosen into the oven and heat the oven to 400 degrees F/200 degrees C. This way, the pan will be screaming hot when you pour the batter in.

What?

Well, how clean is your oven? You want me to make breakfast, or would you rather I spend the morning cleaning the pizza stone?

Thought so.

OK, the batter. Vasios has you make several precautions, including making sure you milk and eggs are at room temperature. Honestly, I usually don’t bother. Sometimes I’ll put the eggs in a bowl of hot water for a few minutes to take the chill off, but that’s about it. She also uses a food processor; I just whisk the hell out of everything. 

Anyway, as with most pancakes, mix your dry ingredients together. Here we have ⅔ cup of all-purpose flour, 3 tablespoons of sugar, ½ teaspoon of salt (Vasios calls for ¼ teaspoon), and ½ teaspoon of cinnamon. Sometimes I omit the cinnamon just to mix things up a little. YOLO, and all that.

Then the wet stuff. ⅔ cup of milk, 3 eggs, and ½ teaspoon of vanilla. 

Stir them together and add them to the dry ingredients. Whisk until smooth. 

When your oven and pan are preheated, put 4 tablespoons of butter in the pan and return it to the oven until the butter is melted and sizzling.

Yes, four tablespoons. Any notion of health should’ve gone by the wayside at the first mention of the word “pancake.”

When the butter is melted and bubbling, pour the batter into the hot pan and return it to the oven ASAP. I put the pan on top of the stove for photographic purposes, but normally, I would just open the oven, pour the batter into the pan, and close the door.

Then you just leave the whole thing in the oven for 20 minutes. It’s best if you don’t open the door.

After 20 minutes, pull it out of the oven. It will have risen like crazy.

Note how much this baby (sorry) has risen. 

The only (minor) drawback to this form of pancake is that it doesn’t stay aloft for very long, so it needs to be served immediately. Vasios claims it serves 6 to 8, although I would say 3 to 4 is more realistic.

Traditionally it is served topped with lemon juice and a sprinkling of sugar. I prefer maple syrup myself. Laissez les bon temps roulez, y’all.

Dutch Baby

Posted by Carrie Vasios Mullins, April 24, 2012

Ingredients

serves serves 6 to 8, active time 10 minutes, total time 30 minutes

• 3 large eggs, left at room temperature for 30 minutes
• 3 tablespoons sugar, plus more for garnish
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2/3 cup (about 3 3/4 ounces) flour
• 2/3 cup milk, at room temperature
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
• 1 lemon, cut into wedges, for garnish, optional

Procedures

1. Place skillet in oven on middle rack and preheat to 400°F. In the bowl of a food processor combine eggs, sugar, cinnamon, salt, and vanilla extract. Pulse until combined. Add flour and pulse to combine. With motor running, add milk, and process for 30 seconds.
2. Take hot skillet out of oven and add butter, swirling to coat pan until butter is melted. Pour batter into pan. Bake until dough is puffed and golden, about 20 minutes. Serve immediately, with extra sugar sprinkled on top, and a squeeze of lemon, if desired.