Puff up the jam! If you’re tired of predictable pancakes, you have to try “puff pancakes,” which are so light and airy, they’re sure to break you out of your flapjack funk.
Puff pancakes are also commonly known as “Dutch baby” pancakes. Dutch baby pancakes are light pastries that are sort of a mix between a popover and a pancake.
The Dutch baby pancake was inspired in part by German Pfannkuchen pancakes, but the version of the Dutch baby we know and love is all thanks to American food writer David W. Eyre. Published in The New York Times in 1966, Eyre’s gravity-defying, gossamer-light Dutch baby is one of the newspaper’s most beloved and sought-after recipes.
Puff pancakes, like this recipe for lemon puff pancakes from King Arthur Flour, may look intimidating but they’re actually quite accessible — even for beginners. And the simple ingredient list consists of things you likely already have on hand: Flour, salt, sugar, milk, eggs, vanilla, and of course, lemons.
One caveat: Before you begin, you must ensure that you have the correct cake pan size. While many baking recipes allow some flexibility in which pan you use, this is one recipe where you need to be sure you are using a traditional 8-inch round cake pan.
You may also use a 9-inch oven-safe skillet, such as cast iron or stainless steel (like this 9-inch omelet pan from Williams Sonoma). Again, the measurements matter because if the pan is too small, the batter will overflow. If it’s too big, the pancake won’t puff as high.
Then, melt the butter in your skillet and either pour the melted butter in your cake pan, or keep it in your skillet to bake the pancake inside it, if the skillet is the right size and oven-safe. Mix together the dry ingredients and then the wet ingredients, slowly whisking it all together with another tablespoon of melted butter.
Pour the batter into the pan and bake for 15-20 minutes until it puffs up and is beautifully golden. Once it’s done, sprinkle the pancake with powdered sugar, a spritzing of lemon juice and perhaps some lemon zest, if you want a stronger lemon flavor.
Garnish with fresh berries and voila! The breakfast of your dreams is served.
This story originally appeared on Simplemost. Checkout Simplemost for additional stories.
