Oven-Puffed Dutch Baby with Lemon and Sugar
A blender batter poured into a screaming-hot buttered skillet, puffed dramatically in the oven, and dusted with sugar at the table.
- Serves
- 4
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Written
Method
-
Set a 10-inch cast iron or other ovenproof skillet in the oven and heat the oven to 425°F, letting the skillet heat with it for at least 10 minutes.
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Blend the eggs, milk, flour, and salt until completely smooth, about 20 seconds — a few small bubbles on top is fine.
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Carefully pull out the hot skillet, add the butter, and swirl until melted and coating the sides and bottom.
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Pour in the batter immediately and return the skillet to the oven without hesitating.
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Bake until the pancake has puffed dramatically up the sides and the edges are deep golden brown, 18 to 20 minutes. Do not open the oven door before then.
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Dust with powdered sugar and serve immediately with lemon wedges — it starts sinking within a minute or two of leaving the oven.
Notes
The puff is steam, not leavening — there’s no baking powder in this batter. It comes entirely from a screaming-hot skillet and hot butter turning the egg-heavy batter into steam the instant it hits the pan, so don’t let the skillet cool while you blend, and don’t peek before 18 minutes or you’ll let the heat out and it’ll fall before it’s set.
Lemon and powdered sugar is the classic finish, but the deep, custardy edges take fruit compote, maple syrup, or a scoop of jam just as well — treat it as a blank canvas rather than a fixed topping.