Generally it is a rare occasion where we can have a leisurely breakfast where we can all sit around the table. Most mornings we are out the door with school and work and on weekends, forget it. Sports, activities and errands preclude the the ability to actually eat breakfast off a real plate.
My kids love pancakes and every so often we pull our electric griddle out and make a batch. This past year I tried a one dish skillet pancake called a dutch baby and it got the “oohs and ahhs” when it came out of the oven. I’m thinking it would make a great addition to a brunch menu since it goes in the oven for some time and you can get other things together.
My recipe comes from America’s Test Kitchen. They are the ultimate food nerds and I trusted them with the right technique to get the “puff” in the pancake. There is a lot of science involved in this one. For one, you need a ridiculously hot pan- a to pour the batter in. You need to make sure your batter is super smooth and completely free of lumps. This means sifting your flour and other dry ingredients. I also mix my batter in my blender to ensure no lumps and bumps. Also, like a souffle I don’t open my oven door while it’s baking. Ingredient wise, skim milk is preferred for this recipe. It makes the edges crispier. So, there you go, you save some calories. You want the pancake to really rise up and puff and opening the door can risk it deflating.
I topped the wedges with some mixed berries.
DUTCH BABY
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 cup all-purpose flour, sifted
- 1/4 cup cornstarch, sifted
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 large eggs
- 1 1/4 cups skim milk
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter , melted and cooled
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Confectioners’ sugar (optional for garnish)
Adjust oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 450 degrees. Brush the surface and edges of a 12 inch oven-proof skillet with the oil. Place the skillet on the oven rack and heat until the oil is shimmering, about 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, combine the flour, cornstarch, lemon zest, and salt in a large bowl. Whisk the eggs in another bowl until frothy and light, about 1 minute. Whisk the milk, butter, and vanilla into the eggs until incorporated. Whisk one-third of the milk mixture into the flour mixture until no lumps remain, then slowly whisk in remaining milk mixture until smooth. I think a blender did a good job with this task.
Carefully pour the batter into the heated skillet and bake until edges of the Dutch Baby are deep golden brown and crisp, about 20 minutes. Transfer the skillet to a wire rack and sprinkle the Dutch Baby with confectioners’ sugar. Cut into wedges and serve.
Moscato & Macarons 