My First Dutch Baby Pancake

Blueberries in pancakes are never a bad idea.

We all know the standard breakfast items: eggs, pancakes, oatmeal, bagels, granola, yogurt, fruit, etc.  I enjoy all of these things, but it’s particularly exciting when I discover something completely new, yet related to a dish I already love.  What I’m referring to is a Dutch baby (named such, apparently, due to the similarity between the words “Deutsch” and “Dutch”; this is actually based on a German puff pancake).

When perusing other Dutch baby recipes online, I was surprised to discover sugar among the ingredients in Martha Stewart’s version.  Why, you may ask? Isn’t it true that I have a well-known sweet tooth? But the way I make it, sugar simply isn’t necessary.  One baking trick I learned in the past year is this: vanilla extract is wonderful for adding flavor and enhancing sweetness.  The last time Andy made chocolate chip cookies, he even reduced the sugar called for by half and put in twice the amount of vanilla (that’s vanilla extract mind you; I have never used vanilla flavoring). Delicious!

So! I sit here on this almost-fall morning and, though my expertise is limited, would like to present my Dutch baby recipe to you- taken  from this site and barely changed at all 🙂 (Note how I am the only commenter- this woman deserves more love!) One of the reasons I love making these for breakfast is how simple the ingredients are:

Just three eggs, 3/4 cup flour, 3/4 cup milk, 1/4 tsp vanilla, 1/4 tsp salt, and 2-3 tbsp butter

Easy-peasy and all things that are typically in the pantry already! If dairy milk isn’t for you, I’ve substituted in almond milk and it worked perfectly fine.  Also, as previously stated, I add in more vanilla for more flavor; squeezing some lemon juice into the mix is a nice addition as well.

Before anything else, preheat your oven to 425°F.  As it’s heating, take your 2-3 tbsp of butter and slice it into chunks. Then, pop the butter in a cast iron skillet or other oven-proof pan, and stick that in the oven until the butter melts.  That’s your first step.

That cute “Made in Yugoslavia” pan is also a yard sale score

Rather than using a bowl to mix the ingredients, through this recipe I discovered the art of using the good old-fashioned blender for things other than pesto and smoothies 🙂 Check out my yard sale-bought Osterizer Galaxie:

Just look at that piece of retro gold!

Puree? Whip? Liquefy? This baby’s got it all

(I was pleasantly surprised how much it shined once I sprayed the blender with some vinegar/lemon juice mix. This was taken slightly after that ;))

First, you blend the three eggs by themselves until they get nice and foamy:

Lots of little bubbles! That’s what you want

Next, you want to dump in the flour, milk, vanilla, and salt:

I also grated in some fresh cinnamon and nutmeg, whole lot of yum right there

And then blend all that together, until you have a nice frothy mixture.  Now, taking caution with the heat, check on your hot pan; the butter should be just melted and not burning (it can be a bit tricky to get that timing right). Slowly pour the batter into the pan:

All ready to bake!

Now, baking time will vary depending on your oven, and on what type of pan you use.  Cast iron skillets are wonderful because they retain heat so well and thus your Dutch baby will be done much quicker (15 min, tops)- with the pan pictured, I check frequently to watch as the pancake rises.  It’s fun to watch the little mounds form as it starts to look all lopsided 🙂 I usually take mine out around 20 minutes: you want the edges to be slightly firm to the touch and golden brown, and quite puffed up.

A Dutch baby I made in one of my mother’s pans

In the photo at the very top, I threw a handful of blueberries on top of the batter right before I put it in the oven to bake.  Other berries work well, too, but honestly, a well-made Dutch baby works well without any add-ins.  Some options for toppings are: lemon juice and powdered sugar, maple syrup and plain yogurt, honey, jam, more cinnamon, or anything you might normally put on your pancakes.  Something I haven’t tried making yet is a savory Dutch baby; when I do I’ll let you know! I’m sure things like a nice flavorful cheese and fresh herbs would make a wonderful Dutch Baby dinner.

Coming up next: A series of photos and commentary on some vintage cookbooks I recently happened upon.  I hope you all have a lovely Friday and I’m so glad you stopped by!

“‘When you wake up in the morning, Pooh,’ said Piglet at last, ‘what’s the first thing you say to yourself?’ ‘What’s for breakfast?’ said Pooh. ‘What do you say, Piglet?’ ‘I say, I wonder what’s going to happen exciting today?’ said Piglet. Pooh nodded thoughtfully. ‘It’s the same thing,’ he said.” —A.A. Milne

• This article/recipe includes an interesting argument in the comments about the origin of the Dutch Baby
• A savory (non-vegetarian) Dutch Baby recipe
• And more Dutch baby recipes on Punchfork!
• If you haven’t already, come check out the Sweet and Savoring Facebook page