Dutch Baby

Name: Dutch Baby
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 35 min
Cuisine: United States
Ingredients: 3 large eggs, at room temperature; 180 ml (¾ cup) whole milk, at room temperature; 90 g (¾ cup) all-purpose flour; 1 tbsp sugar; 1 pinch fine sea salt, about 1 g; ½ tsp vanilla extract; 40 g (3 tbsp) unsalted butter; 1 lemon, cut in wedges; 2 tbsp powdered sugar; 150 g (1 cup) fresh berries, optional

A puffed, golden oven pancake with crisp edges and a custardy center

Makes: one 25 cm pancake
Hands-on: 10 min
Total: 35 min
Level: Easy

A Dutch baby is a single thin batter poured into a very hot buttered pan, where it rises dramatically into a golden, crinkled bowl. Five pantry ingredients, five minutes of work, and a spectacular result.

Ingredients

3large eggsat room temperature
180 mlwhole milk (¾ cup)at room temperature
90 gall-purpose flour (¾ cup)
1 tbspsugar
1 pinchfine sea saltabout 1 g
½ tspvanilla extract
40 gunsalted butter (3 tbsp)

To serve

1lemoncut in wedges
2 tbsppowdered sugar
150 gfresh berries (1 cup)optional

Diet: Vegetarian
Allergens: gluten, egg, milk
Origin: United States (German-American)

Method

Put a 25 cm cast-iron or other heavy ovenproof pan in the oven and heat the oven to 220°C (425°F) for at least 15 minutes.
Blend the eggs, milk, flour, sugar, salt and vanilla in a blender for 20 seconds until smooth and frothy, or whisk vigorously.
Using oven gloves, remove the hot pan, add the butter and swirl until it melts and foams. Immediately pour in the batter.
Return the pan to the oven and bake without opening the door for 18–20 minutes, until puffed high and deep golden at the edges. 20 min
Serve immediately: squeeze over lemon, dust with powdered sugar and scatter with berries. It will sink as it cools; that's normal.

Why it works

The batter is rich in eggs and liquid but has little flour, so in a very hot pan its water flashes into steam, puffing the batter up like a popover. The eggs set around the steam to hold the shape. Room-temperature ingredients and a preheated pan get that steam working instantly.

Common mistakes

Cold pan: it won't puff. Preheat the pan in the oven.
Opening the oven door: the steam escapes and the pancake collapses early.

Variations

Apple Dutch baby: Fry 1 sliced apple with the butter and 1 tbsp sugar on the stovetop for 3 minutes before pouring in the batter.
Savory: Leave out sugar and vanilla; add chives and serve with smoked salmon and crème fraîche.

Make ahead and storage

The batter can be blended up to 1 day ahead and chilled; bring to room temperature before baking.

Notes

Fan oven: 200°C (400°F).