With many similarities to Yorkshire puddings, the Dutch Baby pancake recipe is said to be derived from the German Pfannkuchen (literally meaning ‘pan cake’). According to a number of sources, however, the dish – as it’s known today – is derived from the United States, believed to be introduced during the early 1900s at Manca’s Café in Seattle, Washington. Although based on German pancakes (rather than Dutch), the name is said to have been coined by one of owner Victor Manca’s daughters, based on her corruption of the word ‘deutsch’. While Manca’s Cafe claims to have owned the Dutch Baby trademark since 1942, the pancake has become a staple of many diners and chains, particularly popular at breakfast, but also a perfect treat for any time of day.
Typically baked in cast iron frying pans, Dutch baby pancakes look exactly like Yorkshire puddings, but are generally made with more eggs, as well as the addition of sugar and vanilla, making the dish sweet. Co-founder of Tart London and Belgravia restaurant Wild by Tart, Lucy Carr-Ellison’s Dutch Baby pancake recipe also calls for mascarpone, raspberry compote, and honeycomb, adding extra interplay of both flavour and texture. It’s also an alternative pancake day recipe of note.
“Dutch baby pancakes are the perfect alternative to buttermilk pancakes if you want to create something different for Pancake Day. We first tried them when we were working in New York but they’re actually very much like a Yorkshire Pudding. We make one very large pancake and the whole family dives in – it’s gone in minutes! We like to top ours with mascarpone, raspberry compote and honeycomb. Baking them in the oven with a heavy skillet makes them fluffy in the centre and crispy on the edges.” – Lucy Carr-Ellison.
Equipment
- 26cm oven-proof, heavy-based frying pan
Ingredients
- 60 g plain flour
- 2 eggs
- 120 ml whole milk
- 1 tsp caster sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 30 g butter melted
- A pinch of salt
- 150 g raspberries
- 1/2 lemon
- 1 tsp icing sugar
To serve
- Icing sugar
- 3 tbsp mascarpone
- Honeycomb chunks
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 220°C.
- Whisk together the eggs, milk, salt and sugar with the melted butter. Tip the flour into a bowl and make a well. Slowly pour in the egg mixture, whisking as you go, until all of the flour is incorporated and you have a smoother batter. Leave to stand for 15 minutes.
- Place the raspberries in a pan over a medium heat, squeeze in half and lemon and add the icing sugar. The raspberries will start to collapse, bring to a simmer for 2 mins and take off the heat.
- Place your pan over a very high heat until smoking, add the butter and swirl around the edges, immediately add your pancake mix and place in the oven for about 15 minutes until all puffed up and golden.
- Remove from the oven and serve immediately. Dollop on the mascarpone and then spoon over the raspberries. Finish with a dusting of icing sugar, a drizzle of honey and some crumbled chunks of honeycomb.
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