For Mother's Day, Laura requested that Simon and I make her this pancake. I've made it now and then since 2007, when I found the recipe in the New York Times via Tastespotting. Also known as a dutch baby pancake, this recipe produces a light, fluffy, slightly crusty pancake—a sort of cross between a pancake and an omelet, really. In the oven, it puffs up beautifully, looking rather like a popover.

Baked Pancake

You must put the sugar and lemon on almost immediately and eat it pronto, because the flavors and texture are best directly out of the oven. We made two this morning and had them with fresh fruit. I think the pear butter would be delightful, but that seems it might be best in the fall.

Skillet-Sizzled Baked Pancake

Adapted from "1966: David Eyre's Pancake," New York Times, 3/25/2007
Serves 2–4

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Take out a small mixing bowl and a 12-inch cast iron skillet.

2 eggs
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup milk
Pinch of ground nutmeg

Lightly beat the eggs in the mixing bowl, then add the flour, milk, and nutmeg and beat again lightly until just blended but still slightly lumpy.

Put the skillet on the stove and turn to medium-high heat. Add and melt:

4 tablespoons butter

When the butter is completely melted and very hot, but not brown, pour in the batter, and place the skillet in the oven. Bake for 15 minutes or until the pancake has puffed up and the outside and top are browned to your satisfaction (I like the pancake to have a bit of chocolate color, but definitely not burnt!) Remove from oven and sprinkle on:

2 tablespoons confectioner's sugar, through a fine-meshed sieve
Juice of 1/2 a lemon

Serve with fig or blackberry jam, pear butter, or any kind of marmalade (optional). I think I may like it best without any other adornments and with fresh fruit on the side.

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1 comments on "Baked Pancake"


Alisa (http://saporific.com/)
May 9th, 2011 at 12:20 am

That looks amazing! I was thinking about the ones from The Original Pancake House recently, and how they microwave the half lemon for a few seconds, squeeze the warm juice all over it and mix with the sugar immediately as they plunk the enormous thing in front of you. Yummmm...ridiculous, messy awesomeness...



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