Big Sunday Breakfast -Seattle Dutch Babies

As many of you know, I come from Seattle.  I was born and raised there, and except for the time I spent living in France, I lived in Seattle, until we moved to the Midwest almost two years ago.  Seattle is in my blood.  I love it when it rains, I love drizzly overcast days.  I love waking up to see mountains on all sides of me and water as far as the eye can see.  I love spending time outdoors, especially when it is cool and drizzly.  I am a Northwestern girl through and through, even here in the Midwest.  
This Dutch Baby recipe really reminds me of home.  My family loves to go out to breakfast at this place called The Original Pancake House which is a chain in the Pacific Northwest.  There, they serve something very unique called a Dutch Baby.  There is ALWAYS a long wait to get in to eat at the OPH and they serve you Apple Dutch Babies while you wait!  These originated from what most know as a German Pancake or a Popover but they are slightly different.  They have a moist and chewy texture and melt in your mouth.  They are SO good!  Dutch Babies were made popular in Seattle in the Early 1900s, they were brought over by immigrants and  were made very popular at a cafe in the Ballard neighborhood.  If you want to know more about the Original Pancake House and the Dutch Baby, here is a link to an article that I found.   
So, the OPH doesn't divulge their recipe, so here is what I came up with.  It is very yummy.  This makes a great dish to bring to a potluck too!  This morning I made the Dutch Baby with peaches, but you can make them plain, or with any kind of fruit you like!


Seattle Dutch Babies

For the batter:

• 3/4 cup flour
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1 tbsp. vanilla
• 3 eggs
• 2 tbsp. butter, melted
• 1 tsp. sugar
• a pinch of salt

If using fruit add:

• 2 diced apples  or 3 diced peaches or 1 cup of whatever berries you like, or a mixture.
• 1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 2 tbsp. brown sugar
• 2 tbsp. cold butter, cut into chunks

Grease a pie plate generously.  Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  If using fruit, mix your desired fruit with the brown sugar, cinnamon, and butter.  Place in the pie plate and then bake in the oven while it is preheating.  In a medium bowl, mix the batter ingredients until well combined.  The batter will be slightly runny and may have some lumps.  When the oven is preheated, stir the fruit mixture and then pour the batter over the fruit, stir to combine.  Bake for 15-20 minutes or until puffed up and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.  

If you are not using fruit, just place the greased pie plate in the oven, you want it to be hot when you pour in the batter.  Decrease the cooking time by 3-5 minutes.  

I like to serve these with a little sprinkling of powdered sugar and some maple syrup.  Yummy!

Until next time, happy and HEALTHY cooking and EATING!