Tuesday, February 13, 2018

Cleo Coyle's Cake Pan Dutch Baby for Mardi Gras #PancakeDay and #ValentinesDay





A Dutch Baby, also known as a Bismarck, German Pancake, or David Eyre's Pancake is a lovely idea to celebrate Mardi Gras. (Eyre said he found the recipe in a 1919 cookbook and Craig Claiborne popularized it by printing it in The New York Times back in 1966.)

Many years ago, I shared my version of this classic recipe with my readers of the Coffeehouse Mysteries, a fun series of culinary mysteries, which I write with my husband. I'm happy to share it again today, with a special chocolate variation for Valentine's Day!



♡ ♡ ♡

And speaking of Valentines...

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Our bestselling Coffeehouse Mystery MURDER BY MOCHA features a puzzling murder in which the creation of a new aphrodisiac mocha drink wreaks havoc on the characters and their love lives. With a special recipe section chock full of chocolate recipes...


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Now let's start that Dutch Baby...




A Note from Cleo

Cleo Coyle has a partner in
crime-writing—her husband.
Learn about their books
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This giant pancake is quick, easy, tasty, and dramatic. I actually call it my Poor Girl's Soufflé because the ingredients are so common, the method so simple.

Because a Dutch Baby is really just a giant popover, it includes no artificial leavening (baking powder or soda). A preheated pan in a hot oven is what makes the pancake rise, via steam, which is why your pan needs to be very hot. It’s also why so many recipes tell you to use a cast iron or oven-safe skillet. But not every kitchen has those, and there are far too many pans out there that are not oven-safe (some handles, for instance, will melt in an oven). What to do? 

Well, I reasoned, almost every kitchen has a cake pan, and cake pans are certainly safe to place in a hot oven. Hence I give you my "Cleo" version of this classic recipe, a "Cake Pan" Dutch Baby, along with a chocolate variation, just in time for Valentine's Day!  ♡



Cleo Coyle's
"Cake Pan" Dutch Baby


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Cleo Coyle's
"Cake Pan" Dutch Baby 

Makes 1 giant Dutch Baby pancake for a 9-inch cake pan

Ingredients:

2 large eggs

1/2 cup milk (whatever's handy, whole, lowfat, even half-and-half)

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

Pinch of salt

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg (experiment with other flavorings: cinnamon, vanilla, or almond extract; orange zest; or see my Chocolate Dutch Baby recipe below)

3 Tablespoons butter (salted or unsalted, I've used both)



Finish with...

Classic topping: Juice from fresh lemon wedges and dusting of confectioners’ sugar

Other topping ideas: Maple syrup, fruit syrup, honey, whipped cream, yogurt, fresh berries, squeeze of juice from an orange wedge, etc.


Method:

Step 1 - Screaming hot oven: First place a cake pan in your oven. Then preheat your oven to 450° Fahrenheit. (Note: If you have an older oven, you may need to preheat your oven for a good 30 minutes to get a true reading of 450°-- to read my past post on whether your oven is lying to you, click here.)

Step 2 - Whip up batter: Using a simple hand whisk, blend your eggs, milk, flour, salt, and flavoring(s). Set aside.




Step 3 - Melt the butter: When your oven is fully preheated and your cake pan hot, put on an oven mitt and remove the cake pan from the oven. Throw in your 3 Tablespoons of butter and quickly swirl the pan so the butter does not brown or burn. When most of the butter is melted (not all just most), pour in your Dutch Baby batter.



Step 4 - Bake and serve: Place the pan in the hot oven and bake for 7 or 8 minutes. You may need an extra minute or two, depending on your oven. You should see a dramatic rise in the pancake as in my photos. Remove the pancake from the pan to a serving dish and...

Finish with (depending on your flavorings...) a classic squeeze of lemon wedge and dusting of confectioners' sugar. Or try a squeeze of orange wedge and confectioners' sugar. You might drizzle a bit of maple syrup or honey. Dollop on whipped cream and berries; or try yogurt and fresh fruit.

For my chocolate and mocha 
Valentine variations, scroll down... 




♡ ♡ ♡

A Fun Chocolate Variation 

for Valentine's Day...



Cleo's "Cake Pan"
Chocolate Dutch Baby


In Batter Ingredients -

(Replace 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg with...)

3 Tablespoons confectioners' sugar

1 Tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder (and a cluster of chocolate chips, if you like)


(for mocha version add) 1/8 teaspoon instant espresso powder

Finish with a dusting of...

3 Tablespoons confectioners' sugar mixed with...


2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder

Or try topping with...

Chocolate shavings, whipped cream, even chocolate syrup





For a free PDF of this recipe,
click here or on the image below.




Happy Mardi Gras 
&
Happy Valentine's Day!



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15 comments:

  1. Years ago I had a friend whose father was, uh, thrifty. Every Sunday he would make a Dutch Baby for family breakfast, using whatever leftovers he found in the fridge, with some dubious results. This sounds MUCH better!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sheila - Ha! Marc and I had fathers like that--both were Depression era children--and they passed along a "waste not" mentality to us, as well. The Dutch Baby is budget friendly and versatile; yep, it passes the dad test! Thanks for dropping in today and congrats on the release of your new County Cork Mystery: MANY A TWIST.

      ~ Cleo Coffeehouse Mystery.com
      “Where coffee and crime are always brewing…”
      Cleo Coyle on Twitter
      www.CleoCoyleRecipes.com

      Delete
  2. I foresee serving this for Valentine's morning. The chocolate one really tempts me. Thanks for the recipe!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Lil - I hope you enjoy it. Thanks for dropping by to comment. Marc and I appreciate it. And we both wish you a very Happy Valentine's Day!

      ~ Cleo Coffeehouse Mystery.com
      “Where coffee and crime are always brewing…”
      Cleo Coyle on Twitter
      www.CleoCoyleRecipes.com

      Delete
  3. Looks lovely, Cleo. I wonder if this will work gluten-free? I must try. Love Mardi Gras! ~ Daryl

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Daryl, a good idea to try a GF version. I'm sure vegans will want to try a version that is egg-free and milk-free, as well. Adapting recipes for different health conditions and lifestyles is an exciting part of the food world these days. Enjoy and thanks for dropping by!

      ~ Cleo Coffeehouse Mystery.com
      “Where coffee and crime are always brewing…”
      Cleo Coyle on Twitter
      www.CleoCoyleRecipes.com

      Delete
  4. It's a really cold morning so I just cranked up the oven. Thanks for the great recipe. and the wonderful reads.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Laura - I hope that high-temp oven keeps you warm--at least for the length of time it takes to bake that Dutch Baby. It's delicious, too, so it should warm your heart, as well. Enjoy!

      ~ Cleo Coffeehouse Mystery.com
      “Where coffee and crime are always brewing…”
      Cleo Coyle on Twitter
      www.CleoCoyleRecipes.com

      Delete
  5. Happy Mardi Gras, Cleo! I have read and thoroughly enjoyed your books (and your recipes) for years. The Dutch Baby pancake is one I have wanted to try. Now that you have posted the recipe with photos and tips, I will give it a go! Thank you for sharing so much with your readers, and please don't stop writing. Your fan for life. Sherry

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sherry - Thank you so much, what a sweet comment. Marc and I treasure our readers and we hope you continue to enjoy our books (and recipes) for years to come. Thanks again and Happy Mardi Gras and Valentine's Day to you!

      ~ Cleo Coffeehouse Mystery.com
      “Where coffee and crime are always brewing…”
      Cleo Coyle on Twitter
      www.CleoCoyleRecipes.com

      Delete
  6. A cake pan? You are the clever one!
    This does sound lovely and since it cooks so quickly, it wouldn't be hard to make more than one. Maybe a chocolate one and a lemon one (or orange). They would make nice companions. Or, perhaps, an citrus one with some chocolate chips popped on while it's still hot?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Great point, Libby! Using cake pans should also make it easier to create two or three or even four of the Dutch Baby pancakes at once. Cheers for dropping in today and taking the time to comment. It is always, always a pleasure to see you in our Kitchen!

      ~ Cleo Coffeehouse Mystery.com
      “Where coffee and crime are always brewing…”
      Cleo Coyle on Twitter
      www.CleoCoyleRecipes.com

      Delete
  7. These look really good, especially the chocolate one.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Jana, chocolate almost always makes things better, doesn't it? Have a delicious Valentine's Day!

      ~ Cleo Coffeehouse Mystery.com
      “Where coffee and crime are always brewing…”
      Cleo Coyle on Twitter
      www.CleoCoyleRecipes.com

      Delete
  8. I've never tried one of these before. They sure look good!

    ReplyDelete