Saturday Breakfast is an important rhythm in the #BlueHouse– my husband is an excellent breakfast chef presiding over eggs, bacon, and his famous cheese grits– but every now and then he veers into autumn flavors when he bakes this delicious treat: the Apple Dutch Baby (or Oven Pancake to some.)
This particular recipe is a blend of cinnamon sugar apples, sautéed in a cast iron skillet, and then topped with a quick batter. After a brief bake, top with powdered sugar or maple syrup and serve. The Autumn Apple Dutch Baby is one of our favorites for fall– especially on chilly mornings.
Autumn Apple Dutch Baby
(adapted from Williams-Sonoma, Baking Book)
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter, divided
- 4 cups diced, peeled apples.( 1 1/2 – 2 pounds)
- 2 tbsp packed brown sugar
- juice of half a lemon, seeds removed
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 4 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 cup milk
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp salt
- powdered sugar or maple syrup for serving
Position a rack in the lower third of the oven, and preheat to 425′ F. In a large cast-iron skillet (10 or 12 inch) over medium-high heat, melt 2 tbsp of the butter. Add the apples and sautéed, turning as needed, just until tender, 5-7 minutes. Sprinkle with brown sugar, lemon juice, and cinnamon and stir to combine. Remove from the heat. Add the remaining 2 tbsp of butter and allow to melt. Spread the apples in an even layer along the bottom of the skillet and set aside for a moment.
In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, flour, and vanilla, and salt until well blended.
Gently pour the batter on top of the warm fruit in skillet. Bake about 20-25 minutes until puffed up and golden brown. (Pancake will deflate as soon as you remove from the oven.) Top with powdered sugar and serve after five minutes of cooling.
