Fruited Dutch Baby Food

DUTCH BABY

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• Peel, core, and slice the apple 1/8 inch thick. Melt 3 tablespoons of the butter in a 9-inch ovenproof crêpe pan or skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Add the apple, 1 tablespoon of the granulated sugar, and the cinnamon and toss well. Sauté the apple for 5 to 7 minutes until tender, tossing occasionally. Spread the apple out in the pan and keep hot over low heat.
• Meanwhile, melt the remaining tablespoon of butter in the microwave. In a medium bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, melted butter, and vanilla. In a small bowl, combine the flour, the remaining tablespoon of granulated sugar, and the salt. Whisk the flour mixture into the milk mixture, whisking until there are no lumps. Pour the batter over the cooked apple in the hot pan and immediately place in the oven.
• Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the pancake is puffed and the edges start to get crispy and browned. Dust lightly with sifted confectioners' sugar, cut in wedges, and serve hot with maple syrup.

DUTCH BABY WITH BERRY COMPOTE

Steps:

• For the berry compote: Combine the raspberries, blueberries, sugar, cinnamon stick, lemon zest and juice and a splash of water to a small pot. Turn the heat to medium and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook until the mixture has thickened and the berries have burst, about 7 minutes. Remove the cinnamon stick and keep the compote warm.
• For the strawberry topping: Meanwhile, toss together the strawberries, sugar and orange zest in a small bowl. Allow the berries to sit and release their juices and for the sugar to dissolve.
• For the Dutch babies: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Place 2 cast-iron pans in the oven while preheating, about 20 minutes.
• Add the flour, milk, melted butter, sugar, vanilla, eggs and salt to a large bowl. Whisk to combine; the batter should be smooth but small lumps are OK.
• Remove the pans from the oven. Divide the remaining cold butter between the pans and let it melt to coat. Add half the batter (about 1/2 cup) to each pan and place immediately in the oven. Cook until golden brown on the sides and puffed, 10 to 12 minutes.
• Serve the Dutch babies right out of the cast-iron pans topped with compote, strawberries, whipped cream, mint and chocolate shavings. YUM!

VANILLA DUTCH BABY (PUFFED PANCAKE)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Put the butter in a large, ovenproof, nonstick saute pan and place in the oven.
• Meanwhile, in a blender, combine the eggs, flour, warm milk, sugar, vanilla extract and pinch of salt, and blend on medium-high speed until uniform. (If mixing by hand, combine the eggs with the milk until the mixture is light yellow and no longer stringy, about 1 minute. Add the flour, sugar, vanilla, and pinch of salt, and whisk vigorously to remove the lumps, about 30 seconds.)
• Carefully remove the hot pan from the oven. The butter should be melted. Swirl the butter around the pan to coat completely, and then pour the remaining butter into the batter and pulse to blend. Pour the batter into the hot pan and return the pan to the oven. Cook until the pancake is puffed in the center and golden brown along the edges, 20 to 25 minutes.
• Using a spatula, remove the entire Dutch baby from the pan and place on a cooling rack for a few minutes to allow the steam to escape without condensing along the bottom and rendering the pancake soggy. Dust with confectioners' sugar when cooled slightly. Slice the pancake into 8 wedges on a serving platter or cutting board.

MIXED-BERRY DUTCH BABY

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425° and heat a 10-inch cast-iron skillet over moderate heat.
• In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs with the finely grated lemon zest, sugar and salt until combined.
• Add the flour and milk and whisk until smooth. Add 1 cup each of the raspberries and blackberries.
• Melt the butter in the skillet and add the batter, spreading the fruit evenly.
• Bake in the center of the oven for about 22 minutes, until the edges are browned and puffed and the center is lightly browned in spots.
• Transfer the skillet to a trivet and dust the Dutch Baby with confectioners' sugar.
• Cut into wedges and serve with the remaining fresh berries.

DUTCH BABY

Steps:

• Fifteen minutes before baking preheat the oven to 450°; have a pie plate or oven-proof skillet ready.
• Whisk together the milk, flour, eggs, sugar and vanilla; put the butter in the pie plate or skillet and place the pan in the oven just until the butter is melted; with a brush coat the rim and entire inside of the pan.
• Slowly pour batter into hot pan; bake for 20 minutes; reduce heat to 350° and bake another 8-10 minutes, until pancake is well-browned; remove from oven and sieve confectioners' sugar over the top; serve immediately with fruit spooned into the center of the pancake.

CLASSIC DUTCH BABY

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425°F, with a medium cast-iron skillet (10 inches, measured across top) inside on the center rack. In a bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, and salt.
• Purée eggs in a blender until pale and frothy, about 1 minute. Add flour mixture, milk, and vanilla. Purée until smooth, about 30 seconds (the batter will be thin). Add butter to skillet in oven. When it melts and sizzles, pull out the rack and quickly pour batter into center of skillet.
• Bake until pancake is puffed, golden brown in places, and crisp along the edges, 18 to 22 minutes. Slice into wedges and serve immediately with yogurt, fruit, and syrup.

MEAN'S DUTCH BABIES

Steps:

• Mix flour, salt and milk well.
• Add sugar; add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. This can be done by hand or with a stand mixer.
• Melt butter in an ovenproof dish or cast iron pan in the oven.
• When butter is completely melted and pan is hot, pour in batter.
• Bake at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for 25 minutes.
• Serve with maple syrup, jam or powdered sugar with a squeeze of lemon.