Dutch Pancakes

About this dish

  • Serves: 2
  • Time: 60 minutes total
    • 30 minutes prep/preheat
    • 30 minutes cooking
  • Method: oven baking and range top cooking

Adapted from Sunset Magazine, 2014.

Note that the amounts can be increased or decreased (depending on pan size), but the ratio of 1:1:1 (in approximate volume) remains the same.

Ingredients

  • 3 eggs
  • 3/4 C milk
  • 3/4 C flour
  • 1/4 C butter
  • topping you like (fruit, etc.), typically lemon wedges, powdered sugar

Equipment

  • Large oven-safe skillet or paella pan

Instructions

Arrange the oven racks to use the bottom slot; leave at least 8″ above that rack (the pancake grows as it cooks). This may require removing some racks from the oven.

Place the pan on the bottom rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 425F; wait until at least 10 minutes after the oven comes up to temperature (20-30 minutes).

While the oven/pan are heating, prepare the batter. Very quickly combine the eggs, milk, and flour in a blender or with a stick blender. I tend to blend the eggs first, add the milk, then add the flour slowly while blending the whole time.

When the oven/pan are very hot, turn on a range burner on high (if you have an electric range, wait until the element glows bright red; if gas, there’s no need to wait after lighting the element). Take the pan out of the oven and immediately place it on the burner (close the oven door during this step.

Slice the butter into 1/4″ pats (approximately) and place them all in the pan at the same time. As soon as the butter is melted and starts to brown slightly, tilt the pan to coat the bottom. While the pan sits flat on the burner, pour the batter in all at once (no need to dump it in very fast, but don’t dribble it in slowly either). It can be useful to pour the batter in a slow circle rather than all in the center, to avoid having the pancake stick.

Let the batter start to cook while the pan remains on the range. Wait for the edges to start to set a little. CAREFULLY move the pan back into the oven (remember to use a heavy mitt!).

Remember to turn off the range burner.

Cook the pan in the oven for 20-25 minutes until the top edge starts to turn brown (the center turns light-brown in places too).

Remove from the oven and dislodge the pancake from the pan using a spatula (make sure the spatula tolerates high heat, e.g., nylon, wood, or metal). Move the pancake to a serving dish.

Serve with powdered sugar and lemon slices (to squeeze over it).