German Pancakes

When I was young, one of my favorite breakfast items was something we called German pancakes. For the whole family, we used two glass pans full. In college, I mangled the recipe into something about equal parts eggs, milk, and flour, mixed in a blender until slightly thick. Then, after marrying a vegetarian and living for a few years without eggs in the house, I forgot about them.

A cookbook recently given to one of our children has a recipe for something it calls a Dutch baby pancake with buttery apples. I'm in charge of breakfast, and generally make some kind of pancakes or waffles every Saturday, so I decided one day that it sounded like fun. As the batter came together, I suddenly recognized what I was doing, and got very excited.

Sadly, the rest of my family fails to properly appreciate sautéed fruit, it's quite a bit of work, so I've left it out since that first time. Jams or jellies work just as well as a topping. I also enjoy honey or agave nectar.

• 1-2 Tbsp. butter
• 4 large eggs
• 2 tsp. vegetable oil
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup flour
• ¼ cup sugar
• ½ tsp. salt
• ½ tsp. cinnamon

Drop butter into a 13"×9" glass pan and place into oven. Preheat at 375°F.

In a medium bowl, beat together eggs, oil, and milk. Add remaining ingredients and beat until smooth.

When the oven is hot, remove pan, swish the butter around to coat the bottom, and pour the batter in. Bake at 425°F for 10 minutes, then at 350°F for ≈8 more minutes, until golden brown and puffy.

Slice into 6-8 pieces. Serve hot.