Dutch Baby with Caramelized Orchard Apples

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •10-inch cast iron skillet
• •Medium mixing bowl
• •Whisk
• •Separate skillet for apples
• •Fine-mesh strainer for dusting
• •Thick oven mitts

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the batter

   Whisk the eggs in a medium bowl until uniformly yellow and slightly frothy. Add the milk, flour, sugar, salt, and vanilla. Whisk until smooth, about one minute. A few small lumps are fine. Let the batter rest while you prepare the apples. Room temperature ingredients are essential here; cold eggs and milk produce a pancake that does not rise properly.

   If your eggs and milk are cold, set them in a bowl of warm water for ten minutes before mixing.
2. 2

   Heat the skillet

   Place a 10-inch cast iron skillet on the center rack of your oven. Heat the oven to 425 degrees. The skillet needs at least fifteen minutes to get properly hot. This is non-negotiable. A hot skillet is what makes the batter puff.

3. 3

   Prepare the apples

   While the oven heats, quarter and core your apples. Cut each quarter into thin slices, about a quarter-inch thick. You want pieces that will soften in a few minutes but still hold their shape. Taste a slice. If the apple is good, it will tell you.

4. 4

   Caramelize the apples

   Melt two tablespoons of butter in a separate skillet over medium heat. When the foam subsides, add the apple slices in a single layer. Let them cook undisturbed for two minutes until golden on the bottom. Stir gently, then drizzle with honey and sprinkle with cinnamon. Cook another two to three minutes until the apples are tender and glazed. Remove from heat. The residual warmth will finish them.

   Do not crowd the pan. Work in batches if needed. Crowded apples steam instead of caramelize.
5. 5

   Add butter to hot skillet

   Carefully remove the screaming hot cast iron from the oven using thick oven mitts. Add the remaining two tablespoons of butter to the skillet. It will foam and sizzle immediately. Swirl to coat the bottom and sides completely. Work quickly here.

6. 6

   Pour and bake

   Give your batter one final whisk and pour it into the center of the hot, buttered skillet. Do not stir or spread it. Return the skillet to the oven immediately. Bake for 20 to 22 minutes until the Dutch baby has puffed dramatically, with deep golden edges that climb the sides of the pan. The center should be set but still slightly custardy.

7. 7

   Finish and serve

   Remove from the oven and work quickly while the pancake is still puffed. Spoon the caramelized apples into the center. Dust generously with powdered sugar through a fine-mesh strainer. Bring the whole skillet to the table with lemon wedges alongside. The Dutch baby will deflate within minutes, which is natural and right. Cut into wedges and serve immediately.

   The squeeze of lemon is not optional. The brightness cuts through the richness and makes everything sing.

Chef Tips

• •Seek out apples from a farm stand or farmers market. Ask what was picked this week. A Honeycrisp that traveled from New Zealand cannot compare to one picked three days ago an hour away.
• •The skillet must be cast iron or carbon steel. These materials hold heat in a way that nothing else can, and that stored heat is what makes the batter puff.
• •Local honey from a beekeeper has actual flavor: floral, complex, alive. The plastic bear from the grocery store tastes only of sweetness.
• •If you have access to a vanilla bean, split it and scrape the seeds into your batter. The difference is remarkable.

Advance Preparation

• •The batter can be mixed the night before and refrigerated. Bring to room temperature and whisk briefly before using.
• •Apples can be sliced up to two hours ahead and tossed with a squeeze of lemon to prevent browning. Caramelize just before baking.
• •This dish does not hold. Make it when everyone is at the table, ready to eat.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 200g)