What exactly is a Dutch baby? A Dutch baby is an oversized puffed pancake which is baked in the oven rather than being fried on the stove top. The Dutch baby likely has its origins in the German Pfannkuchen. The name first appeared in the 1900s when a café in Seattle mistakenly called them Dutch instead of Deutsch! They are also a close relative of the English Yorkshire pudding.
Ingredients
Dutch baby
3 tablespoons butter
3 eggs
¾ cup all-purpose flour
¾ cup milk
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
A pinch of salt
Confectioners’ (icing) sugar (to dust)
Filling
2 Granny Smith apples
2 tablespoons butter
¼ cup brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
¼ cup cranberries (or dried fruit)
The zest and juice of 1 small lemon
Grated fresh nutmeg to taste
A pinch of salt
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400F. Place butter in a large, ovenproof, nonstick sauté pan (10” with slanted sides works best) and place in oven.
In a blender, combine eggs, flour, warm milk (30 seconds in the microwave), sugar, vanilla extract and a pinch of salt. Blend until combined.
Remove the hot pan from the oven. The butter should have melted. Swirl butter around pan to coat entire surface. Pour any remaining butter into the batter and blend. Then pour the batter into the hot pan and return the pan to the oven. Cook until the pancake is puffed in the center and golden brown at the edges. This takes 20-25 minutes.
While the Dutch baby is cooking prepare the filling. Take two Granny Smith apples, peel, core and cut into thin slices. In a frying pan melt the butter and add all the ingredients except the lemon juice. Sautee until apples are tender. Cover with tin foil to avoid the mixture drying out as it’s sauteed. Add the lemon juice once the mixture is cooked.
Remove the Dutch baby from the oven and remove it from the pan with a spatula. Place on a cooling rack to allow the steam to escape and avoid the pancake becoming soggy. Add the apple and cranberry mixture. Slice the pancake into 8 pieces and serve!
Serve with maple syrup or whipped cream, or simply by itself. How did your Dutch baby turn out? Let us know in the comments below!
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