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| Dutch Baby for one |
I am starting to think about our home school schedule for this year. Connor is starting the 8th grade and I'm starting to fret. I woke up at 4:22 am this morning and decided it was just easier to get up, write a little then cook a little than to lay there and fret.
I decided I wanted something with an egg it, but it had to be not too sweet, not too savory and it had to be something I could devour in one sitting. Let's be honest, I am rarely in the mood to share at 4:22 am. I also never (truly never) get to eat anything without being interrupted, stared at or asked why I got THAT on leftover night. Really? I looked in the same fridge and saw the same food and let everyone else pick first... Oh, but I digress.
On this morning I am free to cook, then eat, in the dark, uninterrupted and this is how I rolled.
Call it what you will:
Tracy's Mini Dutch Baby
Dutch Baby for ONE
Mother's breakfast treat
What I do for me
Put a small (6 inch) cast iron pan (or stainless steel pan just watch the handle!) in the oven and turn the oven on to 400.
In a 2 cup measuring up, combine with a whisk, until smooth:
1 egg
1/4+ cup a/p flour (I heap my measure slightly)
pinch of salt
a scant palmful of sugar (I don't like these too sweet)
enough milk to make a very runny batter
dribble of vanilla
(total measurement on mine, when it's all combined, is 1 cup)
When the oven hits temperature and the cast iron pan is hot, put 1-2 tablespoons of butter in it and coat the pan either by brushing, paper towel or swirling. Put pan back in oven for 5 minutes.
See, the oven time and buttering gave you something to do while you were waiting for the batter to rest. If there are too many bubbles in the batter, it won't rise as well so feel free to let it sit there a few more minutes if you can possibly help it.
Gently stir the batter (no air bubbles!) to combine and pour it into the screaming hot, buttered, pan without removing the pan from the oven, we don't want to lose any heat here.
Close the door and hit timer for 18 minutes. Don't open the door.
Remove when it's hot and puffy and golden. Slide it onto a plate all to yourself and add a little jam or some syrup or a squeeze of lemon and some powdered sugar.
It's how I do a little morning treatie just for me. Here's the beauty shots!
My little 6 inch cast iron pan. Look how it puffs up, the secret is no bubbles in the batter and do.not.open.that.oven.door. Just for my own reputation, such as it is, I don't slather it in vodka. My mother delivers maple syrup, from Quebec, when she comes to visit me in vodka bottles. They're plastic and light and she can portion out from the vats of it she buys and keeps north. I'm pleased to get it and guard it almost maniacally.
More beauty shots.
It deflates quickly but the sides are crisp and light and the bottom is almost custardy and I absolutely love them. It slips out in one piece from the pan. Yes, that's a maple syrup puddle. Yes, I ate the whole thing myself. I justified it by it's parts, rather than it's sum. One egg, a little milk and a little flour is hardly something to fret about for breakfast. I think there's more flour in a slice of toast so technically, without the maple syrup, this is virtually diet food!
Go treat yourself with a little special treatie. You're worth it.
/enjoy
