Dutch Baby Pancake

Dutch Baby Pancakes - made July 4, 2012 from A Flock in the City blog

Apple Pancake from the Original Pancake House

No, I didn't make the above pancake myself.  It's the Apple Pancake from the Original Pancake House and is one of their specialties which takes 15 minutes to bake and bring out.  It's worth the wait.  What I liked best about it was the texture of the pancake.  It was more like a bread pudding but without the bread.  And we know about my love for bread pudding.  Ever since I tried this at the Original Pancake House, I've wanted to make it myself, at least the pancake part since that was my favorite part of the dish.  Thanks to A Flock in the City's blog recipe for Dutch Baby Pancakes, I think I've come close.

I've re-written the recipe to make only 1 pancake and made mine in an 8-inch cast iron pan.  I also modified the directions to add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients.  When I did it the other way 'round, I ended up with too many lumps because there's more wet ingredients than dry.  I didn't want to overmix it by getting all the lumps out so I ended up straining the batter before putting it into the cast iron pan.

Despite having no chemical leavening, this rose obligingly during baking, although it does deflate like a fallen souffle minutes after you take it out of the oven.  This isn't too sweet so you can sweeten it up with syrup or a dusting a powdered sugar or fruit if you wish.  It's best served warm but it wasn't too shabby at room temperature either.

 

4 tablespoons butter

1 cup of milk
4 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup of flour
2 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt

1. Put butter in cast iron pan; place pan in a 425-degree oven until the butter is melted and bubbly (you want it hot, but don’t burn the butter).
2. Combine milk, eggs, and vanilla. Beat well.
3. Combine the flour, sugar and salt. Add a little of the wet ingredients, mixing slowly to form a smooth paste. Gradually add the rest of the wet ingredients, mixing gently to prevent lumps.  Do not overmix.
4. Pour the batter into the hot pan.
5. Bake for 20 minutes or until well-raised and brown on top.  Serve immediately.  Serve with butter, syrup and/or powdered sugar if desired (optional).