Dutch Baby

By broots

The key to a good Dutch Baby is making the batter the night before. It needs to rest in the fridge for at least 6 hours; otherwise, it will be too eggy.

Ingredients

• 2/3 cup milk
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 large eggs
• 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 1/2 tablespoon butter, melted, plus more for the baking dish
• Butter, for the skillet
• Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting
• Maple syrup, butter, lemon wedges, and fruit compote, Maple syrup, butter, lemon wedges, and fruit compote

Details

Adapted from leitesculinaria.com

Preparation

Step 1

1. Combine the milk, vanilla extract, and eggs in a blender and blend on medium-high until everything is combined, about 15 seconds. Leave the mixture in the blender.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the blender and blend again, just until combined. Add the melted butter and keep blending until everything is pretty darn smooth, maybe 30 seconds. Pour the batter into a bowl, cover it tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 6 hours. (The longer the batter rests, the better the Dutch Baby will be.)
3. Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C). Adjust oven rack to middle position.
4. Butter a 10-inch ovenproof skillet, preferably cast iron, and slide it in the preheating oven for about 5 minutes, until it gets pretty hot.
5. When the skillet is properly heated, pull it out of the oven, pour in the batter, and slide it back in the oven. Bake for 15 minutes, then turn the skillet and bake for another 10 minutes or so, until the batter has risen high on the sides and a little bit in the center, and has turned golden brown right in the middle. You may want to watch it carefully, as the edges can get a little dark—that’s OK as far as I’m concerned, but if you prefer your pancake pale, you can always crimp a strip of aluminum foil around the edges. Pull the Dutch baby out of the oven and slide it right out of the skillet onto a plate. The pancake won’t stick to the skillet, although it will deflate as it cools down—there’s just no avoiding it.
6. Fill a small sieve or strainer with confectioners’ sugar and shake it over the Dutch baby until the surface is thickly covered. Place the Dutch baby in the middle of the table with some little bowls of toppings: lemon wedges, fruit compote, pats of soft butter, maple syrup. You don’t need a knife and a cake lifter for this: just let everybody pull pieces off with their fingers. I guarantee it will disappear FAST.