Dutch Baby
by Nigella. Featured in SIMPLY NIGELLAIntroduction
I’ve only ever eaten Dutch babies in the States, where they are brought out to you at the table with great pomp: great pancakes puffed up and golden, still in the cast-iron skillets they were cooked in. Obviously, I had to make my own at home. Not being a restaurant, I don’t want to be juggling with heavy pans, giving each person their own, so I’ve made mine a giant one for sharing; this ain’t no baby, that’s for sure.
The "Dutch" of the title doesn't in fact refer to Holland, or anything to do with that country, but rather owes its name to the fact that this particular pancake comes from the German-American community known as the Pennsylvania Dutch and would originally have been served with melted butter, sugar and lemon, and indeed they often still are.
While you can, of course, serve this mega-pancake just sprinkled with granulated sugar and lemon juice or, for a more diner taste, with a side order of bacon and maple syrup, I like it tumbled with berries and dusted with icing sugar with a bowl of creme fraiche within arm’s reach. I confess, I also add an ooze of maple syrup as I eat.
For US cup measures, use the toggle at the top of the ingredients list.
I’ve only ever eaten Dutch babies in the States, where they are brought out to you at the table with great pomp: great pancakes puffed up and golden, still in the cast-iron skillets they were cooked in. Obviously, I had to make my own at home. Not being a restaurant, I don’t want to be juggling with heavy pans, giving each person their own, so I’ve made mine a giant one for sharing; this ain’t no baby, that’s for sure.
The "Dutch" of the title doesn't in fact refer to Holland, or anything to do with that country, but rather owes its name to the fact that this particular pancake comes from the German-American community known as the Pennsylvania Dutch and would originally have been served with melted butter, sugar and lemon, and indeed they often still are.
While you can, of course, serve this mega-pancake just sprinkled with granulated sugar and lemon juice or, for a more diner taste, with a side order of bacon and maple syrup, I like it tumbled with berries and dusted with icing sugar with a bowl of creme fraiche within arm’s reach. I confess, I also add an ooze of maple syrup as I eat.
For US cup measures, use the toggle at the top of the ingredients list.
Ingredients
Serves: 4-6
For the Dutch Baby
- 3 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon caster sugar
- 150 full fat milk
- 100 grams plain flour
- 1½ teaspoons vanilla paste (or extract)
- salt
- freshly grated nutmeg
- 25 grams unsalted butter
To Serve
- icing sugar
- blueberries
- creme fraiche
- maple syrup
For the Dutch Baby
- 3 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon superfine sugar
- ⅔ cup whole milk
- ⅔ cup all-purpose flour
- 1½ teaspoons vanilla paste (or extract)
- salt
- freshly grated nutmeg
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
To Serve
- confectioners' sugar
- blueberries
- creme fraiche
- maple syrup
Method
You will need: 1 x 25cm/10-inch cast-iron frying pan/skillet, or 1 x small roasting tin/pan approx. 28 x 21 x 4.5 cm/11 x 8 x 2 inches
- Preheat the oven to 220°C/200°C Fan/gas mark 7/425ºF, and straightaway put your pan into the oven to heat up while you prepare the batter.
- Beat the eggs with the caster sugar in an electric mixer until light and frothy. Whisk in the milk, flour, vanilla, salt and grated nutmeg, and beat until you have a smooth but thin batter.
- Wearing a thick oven mitt, remove the pan from the oven and put the butter carefully into the hot pan or tin and swirl it to melt, then quickly pour in the batter and return it to the oven.
- Bake until puffed and golden brown, about 18–20 minutes.
- Serve dusted with icing sugar, and a tumble of berries, if the idea appeals; otherwise, see Intro.
You will need: 1 x 25cm/10-inch cast-iron frying pan/skillet, or 1 x small roasting tin/pan approx. 28 x 21 x 4.5 cm/11 x 8 x 2 inches
- Preheat the oven to 220°C/200°C Fan/gas mark 7/425ºF, and straightaway put your pan into the oven to heat up while you prepare the batter.
- Beat the eggs with the superfine sugar in an electric mixer until light and frothy. Whisk in the milk, flour, vanilla, salt and grated nutmeg, and beat until you have a smooth but thin batter.
- Wearing a thick oven mitt, remove the pan from the oven and put the butter carefully into the hot pan or tin and swirl it to melt, then quickly pour in the batter and return it to the oven.
- Bake until puffed and golden brown, about 18–20 minutes.
- Serve dusted with confectioners' sugar, and a tumble of berries, if the idea appeals; otherwise, see Intro.
Additional Information
MAKE AHEAD:
The batter can be made the night before. Cover and refrigerate until needed. Whisk briefly before using.
MAKE AHEAD:
The batter can be made the night before. Cover and refrigerate until needed. Whisk briefly before using.
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What 2 Others have said
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Posted by CMS on 14th April 2020
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Posted by kittengn on 14th December 2019
Show more commentsThis has become one of our favourite breakfasts during lockdown. However I only have a 20cm/8-inch skillet so have reduced the ingredient quantities by 1/3 to fit this size pan. It is 2 eggs, 2 teaspoons sugar, 100ml milk, 65g flour and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Baking time 15-18 minutes (depending on how long I have heated the pan in the oven for!).
I love this for a weekend breakfast / brunch and it worked a treat with cows' milk. It looks as impressive as the picture above which is mighty impressive. However, a bit of a warning: I tried the recipe with almond milk and it was a disaster. It didn't rise and made a sort of dense scotch pancake (pretty tasty with syrup and berries but such a shame it didn't rise). You have been warned.