Dutch Baby Pancake with Summer Fruit

Weekend indulgence.  Dutch Baby Pancake with Summer Fruit, a flan-style brunch or late night snack that induces a carbohydrate coma and yet feels healthy because hey, there’s fruit.

I’ve never understood the name Dutch Baby Pancake because the origin of the recipe is German, from  pfannkuchen, sometimes called German Pancakes they’re usually served with sugar and lemon.  In France the same batter, essentially a crepe batter, is used in clafoutis.  We could call this dish Clafoutis with Summer Fruit, but the French (most notably the french Chef in my life) would correct us as it cannot be called Clafoutis unless the fruit added is cherries.  If you want to cook it in the French style then reduce your temperature to make a flat, evenly cooked, softly browned flan as opposed to the high-sided, fluffy German style Dutch Baby Pancake.

Gypsy Kitchen Tip:  Regardless of what we call it, I find the fruit tends to sink to the bottom and burn in dishes like this one, so I blind bake about a cup or so of batter on the bottom of the cast iron pan to form a ‘crust’ before adding the fruit.  The results?  Picture perfect every time.

Heavy enough to fill the gap, light enough to make it snackable; done well this is a recipe that rarely fails to satisfy.   An easy, one pan meal, perfect for the cottage, to use up all that summer fruit that is so irresistible, then watch the center slowly sink as it cools to make it a warm, comforting classic.

And, it’ll make you look like a kitchen rock star.

Dutch Baby Pancake with Summer Fruit Recipe

Prep time:  20 minutes
Cooking time: 45 minutes
Serves:  Eight

3 large eggs
1/3 cup milk
1/3 cup heavy cream
2/3 cup flour
4 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/3 cup granulated sugar
zest of 1 lemon
3 – 4 cups thinly sliced, pitted fruit or berries (or both!)

Method:

1)  Pre-heat oven to 400°F (205°C).  Wash & slice fruit and reserve until needed.  Combine eggs, milk, cream, flour, vanilla, nutmeg, sugar, vanilla and lemon zest to large bowl and whisk, hard for 1 minute.  Or, pour all ingredients into a blender and blend on medium-high for 1 minute until light and foamy.

2)  While batter is blending pre-heat 10 inch cast iron (or non-stick ovenproof) pan in oven.  Remove and melt butter in pan, swirling to ensure butter covers sides of pan.  Pour 1 cup of batter to cover bottom of the pan and place in 400°F (205°C) oven for 5 – 7 minutes until firm.

3) Remove pan from oven and evenly layer fruit on base, then cover fruit with remaining batter and return to oven.  Bake for 40 – 45 minutes until sides are raised and puffy and center is fully cooked and firm, with tester removing clean.

Remove from oven, sprinkle with coarse sugar, icing sugar or simply finish with lemon zest.  Serve immediately – or not.  Cool to room temperature and enjoy with a dry rosé and suddenly – you’re French.