Monday, October 25, 2010

Oh, Baby! Dutch Baby Pancake with Apple-Currant Compote

A Dutch baby pancake is one of our favorite breakfast-for-dinner or weekend brunch dishes. It's basically a pancake that you bake in the oven until it's golden and puffy. I love pancakes, but standing at the stove flapping jacks isn't something I do that often! With this recipe, the oven does the work for you...after it's baked, you top it with fruit and cut into wedges to serve.

Now that the weather's a bit cooler -- by Texas standards, anyway -- I love to top my Dutch baby pancake with a compote of apples and currants that are cooked in brown sugar, butter, and cinnamon. This recipe is a great taste of fall! Until now, I've always used a mix from Williams-Sonoma to make my Dutch baby pancakes. This time, I decided to try making one from scratch. It was so simple, and the results were delicious...I'll likely use this recipe from now on!! 


Dutch Baby Pancake 
with Apple-Currant Compote
Pancake adapted from The Culinary Institute of America Breakfasts & Brunches Cookbook


Step 1: Preheat oven to 400. Put 2 tbs. butter in an oven-proof skillet and heat in the oven until the butter is melted and bubbly.

Step 2:  While the butter is melting: add 1/2 cup flour, 1/2 tsp. salt, 2 large eggs (room temperature), 1/2 cup milk, 1/4 cup sugar, 1 tsp. vanilla, 1 tsp. cinnamon, and a dash of nutmeg to a blender or food processor. Blend until combined.


Step 3:  Pour the batter into the hot skillet. The batter is VERY thin, but don't fret over it...it will cook up puffy and a lovely shade of golden-brown!


Do not stir!! Cook the Dutch baby pancake for 20-25 minutes, until puffed and golden. Do not open the door during this time...otherwise, the pancake may not properly puff up!

Step 4: While the pancake is baking, make the apple-currant compote.  Add 2 tbs. butter, 1/2 cup packed brown sugar, 1 tbs. honey, 1.5 tsp. cinnamon, and a dash of nutmeg to a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Stir to combine and cook until bubbly.


Step 5:  When the sugar-butter mixture is bubbly, add 2 Macintosh apples that have been peeled, cored, and sliced. Stir to coat with with the sauce. Cook for about 3 minutes, then add 1/2 cup currants and 1/4 slivered almonds that have been roughly chopped.


Step 6: Reduce heat to low to keep the apples warm while the pancake finishes baking. When the pancake comes out of the oven, slide it onto a serving plate. The pancake will begin to deflate pretty quickly, but no worries. You'll still have a lovely little rim for your pancake wedges. Pour the apple-currant compote on top of the Dutch baby. 


Cut into wedges and serve. I like to serve with scrambled eggs and bacon or sausage links. 


This is such a yummy, comforting meal. I like to call this pancakes on steroids because there are so many wonderful flavors going on. The pancake is very fluffy...almost souffle-like...and the apple-currant topping tastes a lot like apple pie!


11 comments:

  1. Wendy - this looks so good and fluffy! I've never made Dutch Baby Pancakes before. I love the compote you added as well. So yummy :-)

    Best,
    Veronica

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  2. Perfect flavor combos!!! Never had baked pancakes before---must try this!

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  3. This is SO simple...the batter comes together in 5 min (including measuring)! Then it bakes while you whip up the apples. Add in scrambled eggs and you're ready to eat in 30ish minutes. We love it!! It's good in summer with fresh berries and powdered sugar, so it's all-season goodness!!

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  4. Your dutch baby looks fabulous! That compote is the perfect topping for an autumn meal! Great recipe :)!

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  5. Can you believe I've never tried a dutch baby pancake? Yours looks so yummy though, I may have to try my hand at it:)

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  6. Looks very good but also looks so pretty!

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  7. Oh my gosh, Wendy - this is mouthwatering! It reminds me of an apple tartin, but much less fussy! I could definitely go for a slice right now...

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  8. Gals - This is my kind of cooking...lots of bang for the buck. It looks so pretty and tastes so good, but it's inexpensive to make and only takes a short amount of time. I hope you'll give it a try and let me know how you like it. The original recipe called for using peaches...that sounds good too!

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  9. What a Treat! Beautiful job on the Dutch baby...especially love the apple current compote. A wonderful comforting breakfast, or brunch!

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  10. Oh my gosh! That looks amazing! And, I could totally convert that to GlutenFree- there's hardly any flour! I'll try and let you know how it goes!! Thanks for a great recipe!

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