Dutch Baby with Sauteed Strawberries

Woah baby! What did I do?! What did I just make?! (I think it might be alive).

I think I just made a baby come out of my oven. A Dutch Baby. Yes, this oven- pancake looks puffed and lively, but no worries, it is not a real human baby from the Netherlands.

A Dutch Baby (aka German pancake or Bismark) is a sweet breakfast pancake similar to a Yorkshire pudding (often seen as a gravy-meat-soaked puffed muffin-like dinner side). My Dutch Baby is airy and crispy in all of the right places.

I put my cast-iron pan in the oven and preheated it to 450 degrees F. While the pan was heating up, I blended up some eggs, milk, flour, and some vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Yes, I used the blender to do this. Once my oven was preheated and my skillet piping hot, I threw on some butter and it sizzled like crazy. My pan was coated and then I immediately poured in my batter, returned the skillet to the oven, and 20 minutes later, I made a baby.

A Dutch Baby. With Sauteed Strawberries. Sauteed strawberries with a touch of sugar and a split vanilla bean.

I threw on a dash of honey for some sweetness. You could also use maple syrup, powdered sugar, or make your own orange sugar or lavender sugar.

Dutch Baby with Sauteed Strawberries

from Joy the Baker

**NOTE: This does not keep very well. If you have left-overs, just leave it out of the fridge and have it for a snack later in the day. Soggy Dutch Baby leftover in the fridge is a big no-no.

3 large eggs at room temperature for 30 min (or just run under some warm water)
2/3 cup of milk at room temperature
2/3 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon (freshly grated) nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 stick butter, cut into pieces

about 1 pint of strawberries, sliced
1 vanilla bean (optional)
1/3 cup sugar (or less, depends on how fresh and sweet your berries are)

1. Place a cast-iron skillet in the oven. Heat the oven to 450 degrees F.

2. In a blender, combine your eggs and milk. Whiz for about 20 seconds. Add the flour, spices, and salt. Whiz for about 1 minute more.

3. When your oven is preheated, take the hot skillet out and add the butter to the pan. Swirl to coat (NOTE: this could get dangerous so make sure you have your oven mits on and you work quickly; the butter will bubble up and melt super fast). Quickly pour in your batter.

4. Bake in the oven for about 18-25 minutes. Don’t open the oven until 18 minutes have gone by. Then check. Your pancake should be puffed and golden brown (NOTE: it will fall a little in the center when you take it out of the oven).

**While your Dutch baby is baking, in a pan on the stove-top, heat your strawberries with sugar and vanilla until warm, glossy, and sweet.

Serve your Dutch baby with honey, syrup, or sugar.

Looking for another fruity cast-iron breakfast delight? Check out my Cherry Clafoutis!!