Oatmeal Dutch Baby

Fatally flaky, The Confessions of Coconut Cake, Delicious, Dying for Chocolate and Wedding Cake Murder - all books that I've recently sunk my teeth into.  🤣 I was never been much of a casual reader until I discovered the magical world of culinary fiction novels.  I've had to stop ordering them on audio book though because my family doesn't share my enthusiasm for listening to culinary novels for hours at a time while trapped inside of a snackless car on a family road trip.  🤷🏻‍♀️ 

Reading culinary fiction does have one obvious debacle through - increased hunger.  One can only read about cake for so long before they absolutely have to consume a piece of cake.  🍰 Some of these novels even include recipes for the scrumptious recipes that they so eloquently describe with abysmal detail.  I rarely make the recipes from the books because I can't help but question the credibility of a novelist to create an original recipe that's worthy of giving it a try.  What do I know, maybe novelists are really the great supercooks of this world?

It's hard for me NOT to put myself into these stories and imagine myself as the owner of a small bakery or cafe in the cutest little town ever.  What would I make?  What kinds of foods would my customers return for again and again?  How could I make all of my irresistible breakfast treats and still sleep in past 4:00 in the morning?  

Owning a bakery or a cafe has never been my dream but that doesn't stop me from thinking about the logistics of owning a food based retail space.  I mostly dream about the kinds of foods that I would make that would keep customers coming back.  I feel like a Dutch baby would be the perfect thing to have on a cafe brunch menu.  It's more unique than a stack of pancakes or a Belgium waffle but not as eccentric as lavender scones or matcha smoothies.  If you've never tried a Dutch Baby and it isn't on the brunch menu at your favorite restaurant, you can try this one for yourself.  And bonus - this one is gluten free.  

Oatmeal Dutch Baby
 3 large eggs + 1 large egg white
 3/4 cup Rolled Oats
 2/3 cup whole milk
 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into cubes
 confectioner’s sugar, for dusting 

Heat a 10" cast iron skillet in a 450 oven.  Combine eggs and egg white in blender and beat 2-3 minutes.  

Add oats, milk, baking powder, vanilla, cardamom and salt.  Blend 1-2 more minutes.  

Remove skillet from oven and place butter in pan.  

Place skillet back in oven and let butter toast for 1 minute. 

Remove skillet from oven.  Pour batter into pan and bake 12-14 minutes.  

Remove from skillet, top with berries and dust with powdered sugar.

We like to eat Dutch babies for our Sunday evening brunch meal.  If you've got a sweet tooth, you can always sweeten your Dutch baby by drizzling with a little maple syrup.  If you happen to be in a season and location where stone fruits are more plentiful than berries, by all means - top that baby with slices of peaches, plums, apricots and nectarines.  Enjoy!

Ciao!

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