Dutch Baby with Spiced Peaches

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I've been trying to organize my freezer in anticipation of the holiday. While grouping things more logically, I came across a bag of peaches that had been thrown in there last summer. I'd also been thinking about holiday breakfast menus and a recipe I'd found in "Baking At Home with The Culinary Institute of America". The recipe that caught my eye was for a Dutch baby pancake that was topped with spiced peaches. Dutch babies, sometimes called German pancakes, are puffy baked pancakes similar to the German Apfelpfannkuchen. Actually, it's a misnomer to call these pancakes. They're far more like Yorkshire pudding than conventional pancakes. They are light and fluffy and very easy to do. If you are planning special holiday breakfasts, you might want to consider serving Dutch babies. If there'll be more than six at your table go to Cooks for a recipe that can be scaled to feed a variable number of people. While I topped my test "baby" with the recommended peach topping, I think I'll use raspberries or blackberries the next time I prepare these. Here's the recipe.

Dutch Baby with Spiced Peaches...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite, courtesy of The Culinary Institute of America

Ingredients:

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 large eggs

1/2 cup milk

5 tablespoons melted butter, divided use

3 cups peeled and sliced peaches

2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 tablespoons packed brown sugar

1 tablespoon lemon juice

Confectioners' sugar for dusting

1/4 cup heavy cream, whipped to soft peaks

1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Place a 10-inch cast-iron skillet or oven-proof saute pan in oven to heat.

2) Sift flour and salt together into a small bowl.

3) Put eggs in a blender and blend at low speed. Add flour mixture and milk alternately, in thirds. Scrape down sides of blender and continue to blend until smooth. Blend in 2 tablespoons of melted butter. Brush hot skillet with 1 tablespoon butter.

4) Pour batter into skillet. Bake for 20 minutes without opening oven door. Reduce heat to 350 degrees F and bake 10 minutes longer.

5) While Dutch Baby is baking, prepare spiced fruit. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons melted butter in a medium saute pan set over high heat. Add peaches, cinnamon and brown sugar. Continue to cook until peaches are heated through, about 5 to 6 minutes.

6) Remove Dutch baby from oven. Drizzle with lemon juice and sprinkle with powdered sugar. Fill center of Dutch Baby with hot fruit mixture. Top with whipped cream and lemon zest. Serve at once. Yield: 6 servings.

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