The Best Vanilla Dutch Baby Food

DUTCH BABY

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F and set an oven rack in the middle position. Put a 10-inch cast iron skillet or oven-safe nonstick pan into the oven and heat for at least 5 minutes.
• In a blender, combine the eggs, flour, milk, 1 tablespoon maple syrup, the salt, and vanilla. Blend until completely smooth, scraping down the sides of the blender jar as necessary, about 30 seconds.
• Open the oven door and drop the butter into the preheated skillet. Close the oven and allow the butter to melt, about 2 minutes (do not let it burn). Carefully remove the hot skillet from the oven and place an oven mitt or dishtowel over the handle to remind yourself that it's hot. Pour the batter into the buttered skillet and carefully place the skillet back into the oven. Bake for about 20 minutes, until puffed and golden. Carefully remove the skillet from the oven (again, place an oven mitt or dishtowel over the handle to remind yourself that it's hot). Dust with confectioners' sugar and top with berries, if desired, then cut into wedges and serve with maple syrup.

VANILLA DUTCH BABY

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Place butter in an ovenproof pan or cast iron skillet and place in the oven.
• Meanwhile, combine eggs and milk in a bowl. Add flour, sugar, vanilla extract, and salt and whisk for 1 minute to remove lumps.
• Remove hot pan from oven and swirl melted butter to coat. Pour batter into the hot pan and return it to the oven.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the pancake is puffed in the center and golden brown on the edges, 20 to 25 minutes.
• Dust with confectioners' sugar and slice into 8 wedges.

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.

CHEF JOHN'S DUTCH BABIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
• Blend milk, flour, eggs, vanilla extract, and salt together in a blender until batter is smooth.
• Melt clarified butter in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet over high heat until bubbling; pour batter into the center of the skillet.
• Bake in the preheated oven until puffed and golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Brush with 1 tablespoon butter, drizzle lemon juice over the top, and dust with confectioners' sugar.

VANILLA DUTCH BABY (PUFFED PANCAKE)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Place the butter in a large saute pan and place in the oven to melt.
• Meanwhile, in a blender, combine the eggs, flour, hot milk, 1 tablespoon sugar, vanilla extract, and pinch of salt, and blend on medium-high speed until uniform. Cook's Note: 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 whisk to blend. Pour the batter into the hot pan and return the pan to the oven. Cook the pancake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the pancake is puffed in the center, and golden brown along the edges.
• While the Dutch baby bakes, in a small bowl combine the fresh blueberries, 1 teaspoon sugar, and lemon zest. Stir to coat, and set aside to marinate.
• 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. Slice the pancake into wedges on a serving platter or cutting board and sprinkle with the confectioners' sugar through a sieve. Serve with the marinated blueberries.

DUTCH BABY

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Place a large (about 12-inch) cast-iron skillet in the oven so that it gets very hot, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Mix the eggs and milk in a blender and blend until smooth, about 30 seconds. Add the flour, vanilla and 1 tablespoon maple syrup, then blend again until smooth, about another 30 seconds.
• Carefully remove the hot skillet from the oven and melt 4 tablespoons butter in the skillet. Quickly pour in the batter and return the skillet to the oven. Bake until golden brown and risen, about 25 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and cut into wedges immediately, as it will start to deflate. Top with the remaining 2 tablespoons butter, the berries, blueberry syrup, remaining 1/4 cup maple syrup and the whipped cream.

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

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Cut up butter into small pieces, and place in cast iron Dutch oven or skillet without the lid on. Place Dutch oven in hot oven. Prepare batter in a blender by placing eggs in and blending until foamy. Add milk, flour, salt and vanilla and blend until combined. When butter has fully melted in skillet, carefully remove hot Dutch oven from oven and swirl butter to coat pan. Quickly pour batter in skillet and place back in hot oven. Bake for about 25 minutes, or until puffed and lightly browned. Remove from oven and cut into wedges and place on serving plates. Cut tablespoon pats of butter, and place a pat on each serving. Cut lemon in half, and squeeze juice over wedges and sprinkle liberally with powdered sugar. Serve immediately. Yield: 4 servings
• Hints for success: Make sure oven is preheated to correct temperature. Be very careful when taking the Dutch Oven out of the oven, it is very hot and you could burn yourself. When you squeeze lemons over the wedges of Dutch Baby, strain though a sieve to catch any seeds and pulp

CHERRY ALMOND DUTCH BABY

Steps:

• HEAT oven to 425 degrees F. Melt butter in 9-inch pie plate in the oven. Remove from oven. Brush butter over entire inside of plate.
• COMBINE milk, flour, eggs, sugar and almond extract in blender container. Process using several pulses to make a smooth batter. Pour batter into hot pie plate. Sprinkle with almonds. Bake 15 minutes.
• REDUCE heat to 350 degrees F. Bake 5 to 8 minutes longer or until golden brown. Remove from oven. Spread with cherry preserves. Sprinkle with powdered sugar if desired. Cut into wedges and serve immediately.