And so, for a little slice of nostalgia for those early days in London, I’m sharing one of my favourite weekend breakfast recipes. Dutch in name (and origin, according to Google) but thoroughly American by adoption, the Dutch Baby falls somewhere between a pancake and a Yorkshire pudding – a concept that could get me pretty much anywhere in a hot minute.
The key to a great Dutch Baby is a well-rested batter and a hot, hot oven. I’ve served mine here with some sweet and juicy caramelised peaches, but they’re just as good with a simple squeeze of lemon and sugar, or dollops of chocolate.
THE INGREDIENTS
3 fresh sliced peaches, or one 400g pot of Nature’s Finest Peach slices, drained
30g flaked almonds, toasted
50g butter
2 eggs
120g milk (dairy or oat/nut-based)
60g plain flour
1 tsp vanilla bean paste (optional) or 1 tsp cinnamon (optional)
Pinch salt
1 tbsp maple syrup
Freshly squeezed lemon juice, to serve
In a blender, blitz together the eggs, milk, flour, vanilla/cinnamon (if using) and salt until smooth. If you don’t have a blender, you can do this by hand – place the dry ingredients in a bowl and make a well in the centre, adding the beaten egg and milk gradually and whisking to incorporate the flour evenly. Leave to rest for 20-30 minutes.
Heat your oven to its highest temperature, ideally around 230-250°C. Place half the butter in a 10” oven-proof frying pan, then allow to melt in the oven and get very hot (for around 2 minutes).
Open the oven door, and carefully pour the batter into the hot frying pan. Quickly close the door and bake for 12-15 minutes, or until the edges have puffed up and are golden brown. Try not to open the oven door for the first 10 minutes, as this will lower the temperature and reduce the rise on the Dutch Baby. Remove from the oven once cooked.
While the Dutch Baby is cooking, prepare the peaches. Heat the maple syrup and remaining butter in a saucepan. Once the butter begins to foam, add the peaches with a pinch of cinnamon if desired. Cook for a couple minutes until golden and caramelised.
Place the peaches inside the Dutch Baby, and scatter with almonds. Serve immediately with a squeeze of lemon juice.
