Monday, April 21, 2008

Oh Baby Baby!

By now you are all probably aware that I find Orangette to be very inspiring. It is through her articles in Bon Appetit and her blog, that I decided I MUST have a blog of my own.

Several weeks back, I was perusing her index of recipes and came across this! I had never heard of a Dutch baby Pancake. But it sounded and looked marvelous. I was intent to make them. The problem was that my cast iron skillet has done so much blackening, I felt it would alter the flavor of a pastry-type dish. I needed another cast iron skillet. Well they aren't very pricey so I why not. I decided that 2 small skillets would be nice for the sweet convections I might decide to make and that is the way "Jimmy" does it in this recipe.

Well Target only had a 12" skillet. So did Cost Plus, William Sonoma and a couple other places. It would work but I had it in my mind that I wanted 2 small ones! Time for some online sleuthing. Crate and Barrel HAD them! Yeah! Also Sur la Table offers a few different sizes.

FINALLY, I get to make these Dutch babies!! It was so easy. And fairly quick!

And the result...
These darling puffy little bowls of yum! It was so amazing how the pastry began to rise and inflate in the oven. I think they are rather impressive looking. And the taste? So delicious with the lemon and powdered sugar sprinkled all over. The kids just inhaled them. I didn't realize until making it how eggy it would be. There really isn't that much flour in these, mostly egg.

I highly recommend you try them. And I think they are so impressive and easy, I am letting the old noggin try to divine a new twist to them as a dessert for after dinner. Not that they couldn't be as is but maybe with a little caramel sauce or??? I will think about it and get back to you.

14 comments:

Kim in the Kitchen said...

A friend of mine gave me a recipe for Dutch Babies a long time ago and I have yet to try them. Maybe now I will. She says her family makes them just for special occasions. Also, instead of cast iron skillets, she uses little glass pyrex bowls. I wonder if it makes a big difference?

RecipeGirl said...

They look pretty darn delicious. So do they puff up in the oven and then sink when they come out?

Emily said...

WOW! you put a lot of work into finding those two mini cast iron skillets. I have never had a Duch Babie for dessert before but I'm sure they would work. Sort of like a giant profiterole. You could probably jazz these up with baked pinaples, neutella and marscapone cheese.

Emily said...

Oh I forgot to mention that i have made Duch Babies in muffin cups for brunch before. They are a perfect size and madly easy when you have a large number of people coming over.

Nicole said...

Kim- Welcome!You should try them. I don't know that it would make too much difference with these to be in glass. I just had only seen Orangette's and went with her way.

Lori- The sides puffed up in the oven and the center just barely puffed. Then it sunk down after I took it out of the pan and onto a plate.

Emily- Great idea with the muffin tins! I will remember that. That is perfect for several people. And honestly, for me, they were so rich and filling I couldn't even eat 1/2 of the cast iron one. That sort of makes me think of Yorkshire pudding... but these use the butter instead of the grease. Great ideas, Emily!

Erin said...

My parents used to make Dutch Baby when I was a kid, and my husband thought I was making it up when I first told him about them. Must be the name! My mom always made it in a pyrex 9 x 13 dish, and it worked well, too. I have to make this soon to show my husband what he was missing out on!

Half Baked said...

Those looks amazing! I'm going to have to your recipe a try:)

Betty Carlson said...

I used to read Orangette, but then got a little overwhelmed by all of the food blogs out there. I discovered her quite a while ago - it sounds like she has been successful. Your/her pancakes look great!

Laura in Paris said...

I'm off to Amsterdam today and I am sure your Dutch Baby Pancakes are as good as theirs!More to come upon my retrun.

Lauren said...

I like the idea of them with caramel sauce, or chocolate cause I'm a chocolate freak. Made in little individual cups would make them super cute for dessert too. I really need to learn to eat lunch or a snack before I read your blog!!

That Girl said...

I'm not even kidding - Get thee to Original Pancake House. Pronto. There's one in Anaheim and one in Laguna Niguel/Aliso Viejo (Oso and Moulton). The Dutch babies are ridiculous and easily could feed 4 people. And they're stupendous.

Nicole said...

Erin- You should make it for him. He will probably love it!

Half Baked- Welcome!!! Let me know how it turns out. I forgot that I did make ONE adjustment to Orangette's recipe. I added a splash of vanilla. Because... Well vanilla tastes and smells so good.

Betty- Yes she seems to be doing very well. The Bon Appetit gig and I hear she may have a cookbook coming out too!

Laura- Can't wait to hear about Amsterdam.

Lulu- Yes.. I was thinking some sort of sauce on the bottom like creme caramel and then serve it with chocolate ganache??? GO EAT A SNACK!

Kate- Sounds like a Sunday plan... maybe before we go to Disneyland! (We have season tickets).

kellypea said...

Dutch babies are a favorite treat for us as dessert or for brunch. They're great with strawberries & cream, or sauteed apples with cinnamon and pecans. Caramel is really good, too. Yours looks perfect!

Nicole said...

Kellypea- Thanks for the suggestions. Those all sound great. I was thinking I would really like to try caramel. Or a sort of flan sauce?