German Pancake

Baked in butter and then crowned with more of it, this puffy golden pancake is similar to a popover in texture with a moist eggy interior and crispy outside. It’s generally served for breakfast or brunch, topped with powdered sugar or maple syrup, and a squeeze of fresh lemon. But I’ve also made it as an impromptu dessert, filling its bowl-like center with fruit compote and serving it with whipped cream.

Ingredients

• 5 large eggs

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 

• 1/2 cup whole milk 

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

• 1/2 teaspoon salt 

• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) cold salted butter, plus more softened for serving 

• Pure maple syrup 

• Lemon wedges, for serving

Directions

Butter: A Rich History

1. Heat the oven to 425°F. Place a 9- or 10-inch ovenproof skillet (cast iron is best for this) in the oven for 5 minutes to heat the pan. (This helps the pancake puff more.)

2. In a blender, combine the eggs, flour, milk, vanilla, and salt. Blend on low speed for about 5 seconds and then on medium speed for about 1 minute, until the batter is fairly thick and smooth, scraping down the sides of the container as needed to blend everything.

3. Remove the hot pan from the oven and add the butter, swirling as the butter melts to coat the bottom and partway up the sides. Pour the batter evenly over the melted butter and slide the skillet back into the hot oven. Bake for 20 minutes, or until puffed and golden. Transfer the pancake from the skillet to a large plate and spread with softened butter and a generous drizzle of maple syrup. Serve immediately, with lemon wedges.

Recipe reprinted from Butter: A Rich History by Elaine Khosrova (Algonquin Books, 2016)