Dutch Baby
I love entertaining; having people over to my house to eat is one of my favorite pastimes. I think that is why I became a cook, because I love feeding people. Over the years I have figured out tips and tricks to make it easier on me and more delicious for my guests. One of the best tips is to have people over for brunch rather than dinner. Brunch is always a little more laid back and relaxed and I love serving recipes that can be done the day before. Enter the Dutch baby.
A Dutch baby is a mix between a pancake and a crepe that is baked in the oven and comes out deliciously fluffy, puffy, crispy and a little gooey. It is also the perfect brunch food – not only is it a crowd pleaser with the height that it rises in the pan but it is also supper easy to make. The night before brunch, you add all the ingredients to a blender and blend really well. Refrigerate overnight and when you are almost ready to eat, pour the batter into a pan, bake and about 20 minutes later, you have a gorgeous Dutch baby. This is the kind of recipe that looks really hard but is super simple.
Consider the Dutch baby a blank canvas, like a crepe or a pancake and add different toppings and flavors to the batter. I like to top mine with crème fraiche and berries, but lemon zest in the batter would be delicious, as would apple slices.
Dutch Baby
Ingredients:
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 eggs
3/4 cup milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 Tbs. granulated sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
4 Tbs. unsalted butter
Method:
Combine the flour, eggs, milk, vanilla, sugar and salt in a blender. Blend on high until the mixture is thoroughly combined and no lumps remain, about 30 seconds, (stopping the blender to scrape down the sides if needed.) Refrigerate overnight or for at least 30 minutes.
Preheat an oven to 450°F
Put butter in an ovenproof 12-inch sauté pan. Place in the oven for 5 minutes to melt the butter.
Remove the pan from the oven and carefully pour the batter into the pan. Return the pan to the oven and bake until the sides are puffed up and dark golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes.
Top Dutch baby with crème fraiche or whipped cream, a dusting of powdered sugar and fresh berries.
Serves 4.