dutch baby pancake with sautéed apples

i thought it would be a fun way to try out my new cast iron skillet by making a  "dutch baby" pancake. like a giant popover, the batter is soft and eggy without being overly sweet. the batter is easy to make either by hand or in the blender, and it makes a lovely addition to brunch or as a dessert to finish a meal. i topped it with sautéed apples, as this time of year they are delicious from the farmer's market. you can enjoy this whole wheat dutch baby pancake year round by topping it with any seasonal fruit.

start by coring and slicing the apples into thin pieces.

 sauté the apples for about 5 minutes in 1/2 tbsp butter with a sprinkling of cinnamon, allspice, and maple syrup.

fresh and high quality ingredients make a difference here, as the recipe calls for so few.

to your eggs you will add 1/2 cup flour. i opted for whole wheat pastry flour.

add 1/2 cup milk. i usually have 1% on hand.

for ease, i just threw the eggs in the blender for a few seconds, and then added the rest of the ingredients. pulse a few times and then let the blender run for about 5-10 seconds.

 melt 1.5 tbsp of butter in the cast iron skillet on the stovetop. once it is melted, tilt the pan to coat the bottom and partially up the sides.

 pour the batter into the hot skillet, and then carefully transfer the skillet into a preheated oven. bake for 20-25 minutes until it is puffy and golden brown.

 the outer crust is a good indication of when the pancake is done, and there shouldn't be any uncooked batter.

 top with the warm sautéed apples, and you are done! the pancake is delicious served warm.

you can slide the whole pancake out of the skillet to cut it, or just slice pieces as you would a pie. refrigerate the leftovers and reheat in the oven or toaster oven.

recipe based on the whole foods recipe

whole wheat dutch baby pancake with sauteed apples

serves 4-6

ingredients:

1 large apple, cored and sliced thinly

1/2 tbsp butter

~ 1/4 tsp cinnamon (or more to taste)

~1/8 tsp allspice (to taste)

1-2 tsp maple syrup

4 eggs

1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour

1/2 cup low-fat milk

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp vanilla extract

optional garnish ideas: lemon juice to squeeze on top, extra maple syrup, yogurt

directions:

1.   preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat and melt 1 tbsp butter. when the butter is melted, toss in the sliced apples. sprinkle with cinnamon and allspice, and cook for about 5 minutes until the apples soften. near the end of cooking, add 1-2 tsp maple syrup to taste.

2.   in a blender, crack the 4 eggs and pulse a few times. add the flour, milk, cinnamon, and vanilla. pulse a few times, then blend for 5-10 seconds until completely combined.

3.   melt 1.5 tbsp butter in a 10 inch cast iron skillet. tilt the pan to coat the bottom on partially up the sides of the pan. pour the batter into the hot pan, and transfer it immediately to the preheated oven.

4.   let it bake for 20-25 minutes until the sides and top are golden brown, the pancake is puffy, and there is no more raw batter. let cool slightly, then top with the sauteed apples. squeeze lemon juice over the top (optional) and serve warm.

tips:

- refrigerate any leftovers in a tightly sealed container, and reheat in the oven or toaster oven.

- as the pancake does not have sugar added, i like to use a sweeter variety of apple like fuji or golden delicious.