German Pancake with Raine

It's fun to share recipe making with Raine. He seems to enjoy trying out new things and he really enjoys the results. Saturday morning we used up the rest of the berries in the house by putting them into a Dutch Baby or German Pancake...I suspect what you call it may depend on your first exposure to it.

This pancake is kin to clafouti, the French dessert with cherries. It puffs up dramatically in the oven, but then sinks down, so it is fairly dense, but tender. This version, made in a 9X13-inch pan, uses 6 eggs and a cup of both milk and flour, plus the fruit, a bit of sugar, a bit of vanilla, and some optional lemon oil.

You mix everything but the fruit and some butter in a blender. The butter goes into the pan and heats up in the oven while you blend the batter. The fruit gets scattered over the batter once it goes in the pan. The magic happens in the oven where the fruit and batter cook, the batter puffs up, and it all flavored by the butter, which has browned a bit while waiting for the batter.

Once your have your ingredients together, it all goes fairly quickly, with the pancake taking about 18-24 minutes, depending on your oven. I like it served with more fruit but maple syrup and whipped cream are always great accompaniments, too. Some people swear by lemon juice and a sprinkle of confectioners sugar instead. Try each and find your favorite!

German Pancakes with Berries

Serves 5-6

5 tablespoons butter (or non-dairy margarine or 'butter')
6 large eggs
1 cup milk (or nut milk)
1 cup all-purpose flour
dash salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
a few drops lemon oil (optional)
1 cup fresh mixed berries, washed, dried, and hulls or stems removed. Larger berries can be diced
1 tablespoon granulated sugar (optional)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

As oven preheats, put the butter in an ungreased 9x13-inch baking pan and place in the oven, just until the butter is melted. (Mine started to brown slightly at the edges)

Place the eggs, milk, flour, salt and vanilla, (and lemon oil, if using) in a blender and process until smooth. Scrape down the sides, if needed, and process again for a few seconds.

Pour the batter into the hot baking pan, over the melted butter. Sprinkle with the berries and with the sugar (if using).

Bake, for 20-27 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Pancake will puff up, but will sink down again as it cools once removed from the oven.

Serve at once. Can sprinkle with powdered sugar, with lemon juice, or serve with maple syrup and/or more berries.

Note: you can make this without berries, too, and it will still puff up gloriously and taste wonderful.