In The Minimalist Kitchen author Melissa Coleman has some wonderful ideas: full of flavor, easily made, and with a touch of surprise. Take this breakfast dish: a Dutch Baby. Which is not Dutch. It’s actually American and also known as a German Pancake, a Bismarck, or a Dutch Puff. The origin is the German Pfannkuchen. Seattle has a long history of German immigrants and there, in the early 1900s, a family restaurant, Manca’s Café, introduced this treat. It’s been adopted across the country in the decades since.
The Baby is made with an egg rich batter that resembles Yorkshire pudding. Melissa notes that, unlike conventional pancakes, the Baby will not soak up maple syrup and become mushy. Do make with warm eggs. Ah, your eggs are in the fridge? Five minutes in a bowl of warm water will fix that problem.
In this recipe, Melissa — a fruit loving cook to be sure — suggests using stewed cherries. A lovely idea but one that could be matched by grilled peaches or warmed strawberries. Or some blackberry compote [for which I happen to have posted the perfect recipe!]
Elevate your Sunday breakfast and earn kudos from every family member. You make this swiftly and securely using your favorite blender.
Blender Dutch Baby
Yield: serves 4-6 people [12 tacos]
Ingredients:
For the Dutch Baby:
3 large eggs3 tablespoons unsalted butter
¾ cup unbleached all-purpose flour
¾ cup whole milk
1 to 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
For the stewed tart cherries [optional]:
1 cup frozen tart cherries
Heaping 1 tablespoon granulate sugar
For the toppings:
Plain whole-milk yogurt
Pure maple syrup, warmed
Pepita seeds
Hemp seeds
Unsweetened coconut shreds
Preparation:
MAKE THE DUTCH BABY. Place the eggs in a bowl of warm water to bring to room temperature quickly, about 5 minutes. This is an important step to get the most lift in the Dutch baby.
PREHEAT THE OVEN TO 425°F. Add the butter to a 10-inch cast-iron skillet; place the pan in the oven until the butter is melted and bubbly but not burned.
MEANWHILE, IN A HIGH-POWERED BLENDER (see notes for method without blender), blend the eggs on medium-high for about 5 seconds until bubbly. Add the remaining Dutch baby ingredients to the blender, and pulse on low until just combined, about 5 seconds more.
ONCE THE OVEN HAS PREHEATED and the butter has melted, remove the pan and immediately pour the batter into the prepared pan. Return the pan to the oven, and bake for 13 to 15 minutes. Turn oven off, then allow the pan to sit in the oven for 5 minutes more. This will help the Dutch baby to keep its structure out of the oven.
MEANWHILE, IF DESIRED, make the stewed tart cherries. Combine all the stewed tart cherries ingredients in a small saucepan. Cook on low for about 10 minutes or until the juice from the cherries can lightly coat the back of a spoon. Place in a shallow bowl for serving. This can be done ahead of time and reheated.
REMOVE THE DUTCH BABY FROM THE OVEN. Cut into wedges. Top with a dollop of yogurt and a spoonful of the stewed tart cherries. Lightly drizzle with the warmed maple syrup, and add toppings as desired.
NOTES: To make this recipe without a blender, stir together the flour, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl, and set aside. In a small bowl, whisk the eggs until fluffy. Whisk in the milk and extract until combined. Slowly pour the egg mixture into the flour mixture, and mix until just combined.
Source: The Minimalist Kitchen by Melissa Coleman [Oxmoor House, 2018]