Town Common Cooks

Ashfield Dutch Baby

Dutch babies are a cross between a popover and pancake that is simple to mix and bake. My daughter adores them and considers it a special morning if a dutch baby is put on the breakfast table. This particular recipe comes from well-known traveler Rick Bayless who discovered what he considers the best version in Holland. The dutch baby bakes in a skillet in the oven, getting golden brown and rising up into a dramatic, puffy, bowl-shaped concoction that is perfect to pile high with seasonal fruit, sprinkle with confectioners' sugar, and douse with Ashfield maple syrup, whipped cream or yogurt. Your imagination is truly the limit.

Serves 4

5 tablespoons butter
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup milk
3 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups diced fruit or berries, could be blueberries, apples, peaches, mango, bananas
Confectioners' sugar, maple syrup, agave syrup, whipped cream, or yogurt

Place rack in upper third of oven and preheat to 450 degrees.

Put butter in a 12-inch skillet, I prefer a cast iron one, with an ovenproof handle.
Set skillet in oven for 5 minutes to melt butter completely-it's OK if it begins to brown.

Put flour in large bowl.
Add the milk, eggs, and salt to flour.
Beat until smooth with whisk, large spoon, or hand-held electric mixer.

Pour the batter into the hot pan and return to oven.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the sides are puffed up and dark golden brown.
Remove from oven, loosen the dutch baby from the skillet and slide onto a serving plate.
Pile fruit in center and sprinkle with confectioners' sugar.
Cut into wedges and pass warm syrup to pour on top.

Amelia Maloney