Dutch Baby: The Perfect Brunch Dish
OK, I have to admit: I had never heard of a Dutch Baby until I saw the episode of Bob's Burgers called "Christmas in the Car," where Linda orders a Dutch Baby in a roadside diner, and later gives it to a person in need on Christmas Eve.
A Dutch Baby is essentially a giant pancake cooked in the stove in a hot pan. It puffs up delightfully with a crispy exterior and a slightly soft interior. It can be served with powdered sugar, syrup, or jam. I usually cut it into pieces and just dip it in syrup!
It's one of those dishes that is easy to make but makes a great presentation. It's a perfect breakfast for two, or could be cut up into pieces and served with other foods in a brunch buffet. If you have mini pans, you could even make several mini Dutch Babies!
The batter comes together in just a few minutes in a blender, with basic staples you probably have on-hand: flour, milk, vanilla, sugar, salt, and eggs. The key to making a Dutch Baby is to heat the pan ahead of time to 400 Fahrenheit, and then pour the batter into a hot buttered pan. Remember those hot pads! The pancake bakes at 400 for about 20 - 25 minutes. (If you've seen the Bob's Burgers episode, you know that's how long it takes.)
Since the batter is poured into a hot pan, when it's done you should be able to lift it out of the pan all in one piece with a spatula and serve it on a platter or cut it on a cutting board.
The recipe that I have is a master recipe. You. can take this recipe and add other seasoning, such as cinnamon, lemon zest, or orange liqueur. You can also fold in chocolate chips or berries! I would suggest you try the master recipe first, though, so that you have the basic version to compare any variations to.
Happy cooking!
- Annabelle
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