Apple Dutch Baby

We made a Dutch baby yesterday. Get your heads out of the gutter! Neither of us descended from The Netherlands! I'm talking one of those giant puffy pancakes you bake in a cast iron skillet.

This kind of Dutch baby, filled with cinamonny apples.

And it was the best breakfast we've had in a long, long time.

You must try this. It's crazy easy, and so, so so good. Oh, I should mention, some people like to just eat these plain with a little butter, powdered sugar, and a sprinkle of lemon juice on top. My mom used to make 'em and we'd eat them with syrup. Yum. So you don't have to do the apple thing if you don't want to or if you don't have the right ingredients on hand. But I do highly recommend the apples, because they're divine. 

Apple Dutch Baby

Serves 4

Pancake recipe adapted from Sharon Kramis' Dutch Baby recipe in The Seattle Times
Sauteed apples recipe adapted from 356's sauteed apples recipe on AllRecipes.com

Pancake ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup milk
• Powdered sugar for dusting

Sauteed apples ingredients:

• 2 tart apples (like Granny Smith), peeled, cored, and sliced into 16 slices each
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 3/4 teaspoon corn starch
• 1/4 cup cold water
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/8-1/4 teaspoon nutmeg (depending on your tastes)
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions:

1. Make the pancake - first, heat the oven to 425 degrees.
2. Over low heat, melt the 3 tablespoons butter in a 10 or 11 inch cast iron pan.
3. Put the eggs, flour, and milk in a blender, and blend well. The idea is to create a lump-free batter.
4. When the butter is melted, pour the batter into the cast iron pan.
   
   
   
5. Move the cast iron pan to the oven and cook for 20 - 25 minutes. You can tell the Dutch baby is done when the sides are brown and nice and puffy. But don't check it too early! A draft of cold air can cause it to de-puff.
   
   When it's done, it'll look something like this:
   
   
   
6. While the pancake is baking, saute the apples. Start by melting the butter over medium heat.
7. Add the apples and saute, stirring often over medium heat, until they're tender (about 10 minutes).
8. Mix the corn starch with the cold water, and pour it over the apples along with the brown sugar, spices, and vanilla.
9. Boil for a couple of minutes, stirring constantly, then remove from heat.
   
   
   
10. When the Dutch baby is done, remove from the oven and dust lightly with powdered sugar.
    
    
    
11. Pour the sauteed apples in the middle.
    
    
    
12. Look how cute! And then cut into fourths and dig in!