Until today.
I've been re-reading (again) one of my favorite books, A Homemade Life, by Molly Wizenberg. It's chock-full of her favorite recipes and the people and stories that they come from. Today on a lazy Sunday morning, I decided to try her recipe for a Dutch Baby pancake.
This is not your ordinary pancake. It's more eggs and less flour, and ten times the flavor and gorgeousness. It's so simple to make, and as it bakes in the oven it rises like a souffle. It's so light and so delicious. It's best eaten with lots and lots of powdered sugar and the key garnish - lemon juice. Absolutely no need for syrup. I think it's just become a breakfast staple.
Dutch Baby Pancakes with Lemon and Sugar
Adapted from A Homemade Life, by Molly Wizenberg
2 Tbsp butter Freshly squeezed lemon juice
4 large eggs Powdered sugar, sifted
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup half-and-half
1/4 tsp salt
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Put the butter in an 8-inch cast-iron skillet and place over low heat. (If not in possession of a a cast-iron skillet, a pie plate also would work. Just put the butter in the plate and sit it in the preheated oven for a few minutes.) As the butter melts, use a pastry brush to coax it up the sides of the skillet.
Meanwhile, in a blender (I used a stand mixer), mix the together the eggs, flour, half-and-half, and salt until well blended. Pour egg mixture into the warmed skillet. Slide into the oven, and bake for around 20 minutes. The mixture will rise and puff around the edges, like a bowl-shaped souffle. The Dutch baby is ready when the center looks set and the edges are nicely risen and golden brown.
Remove from the oven and splash generously with lemon juice, and heartily sift the powdered sugar over top. Serve immediately.
Best shared right from the skillet with a friend or, in my case, a bearded boy.
-Bri
