What’s Cookin’?

I’m just going to come right out and say it: I have never in my life made up a recipe. I’ve always been the person that follows a recipe. Usually to the letter, and if I am feeling particularly brave, I’ll make adjustments.

This was the case when I set out to find a recipe for a Dutch baby, or German pancake (I’ve heard both names used before, and I do not honestly know where either name came from. These pancakes are nothing like I grew up with). I liked them well enough, they were overall a quick and easy breakfast to make, and I considered them to be a bit of a treat. So, searching I went.

I tried several recipes, none of which really were to my liking. Don’t get me wrong, they were okay, but nothing to write home about. So I decided to put my big girl panties on and take a swing at combining a couple of them and making my own.

And guess what? It worked. The results were exactly what I had hoped for, a bit fluffy, not too eggy, light, and they had flavor. Or should I say ‘it’, since you make it in a big pan. Ah well, I’m sure you get what I’m trying to say.

I’m afraid I don’t have a great picture, since I took this with my tablet, but trust me, it was yummy.

I know, I know, the sides didn’t puff up the way most Dutch Babies do. I’m not entirely sure what happened. The last time, the sides came up a little higher like it’s supposed to. I’d give it another shot for a better picture, except I don’t currently have the ingredients on hand and I couldn’t wait to share.  Forgive me?

Anyway, my first shot at a recipe for a Dutch Baby (from a Dutch baby, haha!):

5 eggs
1.5 cup milk
3 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/3 cup flour
1 stick butter

powdered sugar
Preheat the oven to 400F. While oven is heating up, put the stick of butter in a 8 * 13 baking pan and put it in the oven to melt (do not let butter get brown, you only want it to melt).

In your mixer, add the 5 eggs, beat until frothy. Add the milk, mix thoroughly before adding the sugar, vanilla, and salt. Mix for another minute or so, then add the flour and mix well, making sure there are no lumps.

Pour batter into the pan over the back of a spoon (careful not to splatter the butter), then put in the oven to bake 20 – 25 minutes.

As soon as it is out of the oven, dust with powdered sugar, divide into portions.

At this point, I like to pour some syrup over my pancakes, because well… pancakes. I actually try to make my own these days and this time I used this recipe which turned out extremely yummy. Granted, mine isn’t milky-white like hers ended up being, because I screwed up and had to let the sugar sit for longer, making it caramelize more, but that just added to the flavor and I intend to do it on purpose next time 😉

So there you have it. My first ever attempt at writing a recipe. I hope I didn’t do too badly and that it turns out as well for you as it did for me.

Have you ever created your own recipe? And if so, what was it for? Feel free to share 🙂