Weekend breakfasts are much anticipated at my house— when both of my roommates are home, we love to gather around our kitchen table with pancakes and bacon and coffee and fruit.
Even on the Saturdays when I’m home alone I still usually want a breakfast that feels special, and this is a recent favorite. A scaled-down dutch baby pancake cooked in my smallest cast-iron skillet, topped with however many raspberries are left in the fridge and a generous dusting of powdered sugar.
If you’re unfamiliar with dutch baby pancakes, you can think of them as a sort of cross between a crêpe, a popover, and a pancake. To achieve their unique bowl-like look with crinkly edges, you combine a very smooth and thin batter with a very hot pan. This way, the pancake starts cooking as soon as it hits the oven, and the batter can creep up the sides of the pan. It will look very puffy when done, but the center will collapse as soon as it leaves the oven.
When I was little we would have these at my Grammy’s house, and they always felt like a treat. She would have hers with peanut butter, and I would have mine with lots of maple syrup.
You could try this pancake with any combination of berries, bananas, citrus, maple syrup, peanut butter, butter, or jam that appeals to you. Whatever you top it with, if you’re into popovers or yorkshire pudding— anything with an eggy, custardy texture really, I think you’ll love it. And if you are already a fan, here’s a way to enjoy it solo. ✌️
dutch baby pancake for one
recipe adapted from hand made baking
[ makes one pancake ]
1 extra-large egg, at room temperature
pinch of sea salt
40 ml milk (about 2 1/2 tablespoons), at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
20 grams (about 2 tablespoons) flour
2 teaspoons sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons butter
Preheat oven to 425 degrees, and place a small cast-iron skillet on the rack.
Beat the egg and salt together until the egg is pale yellow and slightly foamy. Whisk in the milk and vanilla, then whisk in the flour and sugar and mix until the batter is smooth and free of lumps.
Take the preheated pan out of the oven and swirl in the butter. Use a silicone brush to coat the sides of the pan as well. Pour the batter into the pan and bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the top of the pancake is golden.
Remove from the oven and serve immediately with whatever toppings you prefer. (You can eat it out of the pan or transfer to a plate— this is your breakfast).