Banana Dutch Baby Pancake Food

CHEF JOHN'S BLUEBERRY DUTCH BABY

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
• Combine flour, salt, vanilla extract, eggs, and milk in a high-speed blender. Blend on high speed until completely smooth and very thin, about 1 minute.
• Heat a 9- or 10-inch cast iron skillet over high heat. Pour clarified butter into the skillet and use a pastry brush to grease the sides. Heat butter until just starting to smoke.
• Quickly and carefully pour the batter into the center of the skillet, then sprinkle blueberries over top. Transfer skillet to the center of the preheated oven and bake until browned and nicely puffed, 20 to 25 minutes.
• Carefully remove from the oven and immediately brush the top with melted butter. Squeeze lemon juice over top as Dutch baby deflates. Dust with powdered sugar.
• Cut in wedges to serve and drizzle with maple syrup.

VANILLA DUTCH BABY (PUFFED PANCAKE)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Put the butter in a large, ovenproof, nonstick saute pan and place in the oven.
• Meanwhile, in a blender, combine the eggs, flour, warm milk, sugar, vanilla extract and pinch of salt, and blend on medium-high speed until uniform. (If mixing by hand, combine the eggs with the milk until the mixture is light yellow and no longer stringy, about 1 minute. Add the flour, sugar, vanilla, and pinch of salt, and whisk vigorously to remove the lumps, about 30 seconds.)
• Carefully remove the hot pan from the oven. The butter should be melted. Swirl the butter around the pan to coat completely, and then pour the remaining butter into the batter and pulse to blend. Pour the batter into the hot pan and return the pan to the oven. Cook until the pancake is puffed in the center and golden brown along the edges, 20 to 25 minutes.
• Using a spatula, remove the entire Dutch baby from the pan and place on a cooling rack for a few minutes to allow the steam to escape without condensing along the bottom and rendering the pancake soggy. Dust with confectioners' sugar when cooled slightly. Slice the pancake into 8 wedges on a serving platter or cutting board.

BANANA DUTCH BABY PANCAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a 10-inch ovenproof skillet over medium-low heat. Add the brown sugar and stir until the sugar begins to melt. Add the pecans and cook for 2 more minutes. Transfer the pecans to a small dish and set aside. Reserve the skillet (with any residual brown sugar) for the pancake.
• In a small bowl, mix together the flour, granulated sugar, cinnamon and salt. Set aside.
• Melt the remaining 3 tablespoons butter in a small pan. In a large bowl, add the buttermilk, vanilla, egg yolks and melted butter and whisk until blended. Gradually whisk in the flour mixture. Stir in the smashed bananas. Beat the egg whites until soft peaks form and gently fold into the banana mixture.
• Sprinkle the pecans over the bottom of the reserved skillet along with the banana slices. Gently spoon the batter into the skillet. Bake until golden brown, 20 to 30 minutes.
• Invert the pancake onto a serving plate and dust with confectioners' sugar. Cut into wedges and serve with maple syrup.