Cinnamon-Apple Dutch Baby

Every year when I was growing up, my mom would make me a special birthday breakfast. And if my birthday fell on a school day, she'd get up early and make it anyway. And that special birthday breakfast was cinnamon-apple Dutch baby.

If you don't know what a Dutch baby is, it's often described as a pancake, but I think that is misleading. It's a sort of an apple casserole, although that description doesn't do it justice either. Basically, it's the socially acceptable alternative for the birthday girl getting to eat pie for breakfast. I decided to try my hand at it myself this year.

Apples, butter, sugar, cinnamon.
What more do you need?

It's best when made in a round cast iron skillet, although I don't have one, and to be honest, that kind of pan really is important. I made this in my oval Le Creuset, and it made the Dutch baby a bit too deep-dish; this is not ideal because it ended up being a touch undercooked in the center. Also, the pan you use is supposed to be well-suited for both the stove and oven. Alternately (if you don't have any oven-save skillets), you could do the stove-top part in a nonstick saucepan or skillet and then pour it into a baking dish when it's time for the oven part.

Anyway, this dish is really delicious, and for me, it's also nostalgic. It's cinnamon-y, apple-y, autumn-y. Of course, like all dishes, it just plain tastes better when mom makes it.

Happy birthday to me!

Cinnamon-Apple Dutch Baby
Family recipe

6 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
¼ cup sugar
2 large apples, peeled and cored
4 eggs
1 cup flour
1 cup milk
powdered sugar to taste

Step 1: Preheat oven to 425°F.

Step 2: In a 10- to 12-inch oven-proof frying pan (preferably cast iron), melt butter over medium-high heat. Stir in cinnamon and sugar.

Step 3: Thinly slice apples into pan. Cook, stirring, until apples are translucent, about 5 minutes.

Step 4: Place pan, uncovered, in oven while you mix the batter, about 5 minutes.

Step 5: In a blender or food processor, whirl eggs and flour until smooth; blend in milk (or whisk eggs with flour by hand, then add milk). Pour batter evenly over apples in pan.

Step 6: Bake, uncovered, until pancake is puffy and golden, about 15 minutes. Dust with powdered sugar and let stand about 5 minutes. Cut into wedges, and have a happy birthday!