Dutch Baby or German Pancake...

Dutch Baby or German Pancake..doesn't matter what you call this. It is the same thing. We serve them at the restaurant I work in, and you should see people eyes when they are delivered to the table! The guests in the whole dining room crane their necks and ask "what is that?" It is simple to make and a real show stopper.

It is derived from the German pfannkuchen. It is made with eggs, flour, sugar and milk, and usually seasoned with vanilla and cinnamon, although occasionally fruit or another flavoring is also added. It is baked in a cast iron or metal pan and falls soon after being removed from the oven. It is generally served with fresh squeezed lemon, butter, and powdered sugar, fruit toppings or syrup. I like mine with syrup.

Mancas café is the furthest on the left. This picture is from 1902 and is on 2nd and Cherry in downtown Seattle.

According to Sunset magazine, Dutch babies were introduced in the first half of the 1900s at Manca's Cafe, a family-run restaurant that was located in Seattle, Washington and that was owned by Victor Manca. Victor, a staunch Catholic, moved here from Salt Lake City. His passion was cooking and he developed many recipes, this being his most famous. While these pancakes are derived from the German pancake dish, it is said that the name Dutch baby was coined by one of Victor Manca's daughters. She couldn't pronounce "Deutsch" - the German word for German.

I made mine substituting Gluten Free all purpose flour, and it turned out beautifully. I know regular all purpose flour gives you the same results. Just five ingredients and it is so easy it is child's play!

 

Dutch Baby

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup gluten free flour or regular all purpose flour
• 1 cup milk
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 4 eggs

Instructions

1. Preheat over to 425
2. In bowl mix GF flour, milk, sugar and eggs
3. Melt butter in a 10 or 12 inch oven-safe frying pan
4. Pour mixture into pan and bake in oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until pancake rises
5. serves 3-4 hungry people

 

melt the butter in a cast iron skillet on top of the stove..make sure the oven in hot and the skillet is hot...

 

then pour the batter in the hot skillet..

 

Voila!! It is magic!!! You can watch this take shape right through the oven door! Carefully slip it out of the pan, the butter keeps it from sticking and place on a large platter. You can cut it like pizza into wedges and serve with butter lemon wedges and powdered sugar.

 

Cheers to Happy  !!