Dutch Baby Not Puffing Up

Our answer

Nigella's Dutch Baby (from SIMPLY NIGELLA) is a batter that is baked in a very hot oven. As it bakes the batter puffs up, in a similar way to a Yorkshire pudding or a popover. The recipe doesn't contain any chemical leavening as the milk and eggs create steam that causes the Dutch Baby to rise.

If the pancake was a little flat it is most likely that either the oven or the skillet (or other pan) was not hot enough. If the pan isn't hot enough then the liquid does not heat up and create the steam quickly enough and so the flour will cook through and set before the pancake can rise. We suggest that you give the oven and skillet plenty of time to heat up thoroughly before adding the batter. This could be 10-20 minutes, depending on your oven. We would also suggest using a metal pan if you don't have a cast iron skillet, as heat conducts quickly through metal in comparison with some other materials.