Black Forest Dutch Baby Pancake

This puffy chocolate Dutch baby pancake is topped with a fresh cherry compote and whipped cream for a delightful take on the classic Black Forest gateau.

I am not a morning person, never have been all my life. That is why I love the weekends; late nights and even later mornings, what’s not to love! But on some weekends, I set my alarm clock early so that we can make it to our favorite breakfast spot before the crowd arrives. The Magnolia Pancake Haus in San Antonio is only open until afternoon and on weekends, you can forget about getting a table unless you get there before 7. It’s hard to pick a favorite from their menu, but nothing beats their “Authentic Apfel Pfannekuchen” or apple puffed pancake. 

It took me a while, but I have managed to learn the secrets to perfectly puffed Dutch baby pancakes. If I can make Dutch baby pancake at home, it means I can sleep in on weekends, no? Dutch baby pancakes are not difficult to make. In fact, it is my go-to fancy breakfast recipe on weekends and holidays. One large pancake that makes itself in the oven? Is there anything easier? You just need the perfect recipe plus a super hot oven and pan. A cast iron skillet is best, but any oven-proof pan will work too.

To get the trademark puffy look and texture, you need to maintain the perfect ratio between eggs, dry ingredients, milk, and pan size. My fail-proof recipe needs 3 eggs, a half cup of dry ingredients and a half cup of milk baked in a 9” – 10” pan. This is the perfect portion for our family of three, but two adults can put it away quite easily too.

A Dutch baby is easily customizable. You can bake it with seasonal fruits (apples, peaches, berries, cherries, etc) or make a compote to serve on top of a vanilla Dutch baby.

But, if you know me, you would know that it was only a matter of time before I tried a chocolate version. And now that my family has tried it, I wonder if we will ever go back to our vanilla pancake days. Probably not.

A chocolate Dutch baby is like a puffy cloud of chocolate; intensely chocolatey and incredibly delicious. Fresh summer cherries in my fridge turned in to a quick compote to be served with the chocolate pancake. A generous dollop of freshly whipped cream and a dark chocolate drizzle on the pancake reminded me of a Black Forest gateau. And incredibly, the Dutch baby pancake tasted just like a slice of Black Forest cake. It was missing a touch of kirsch, but that’s easily remedied.

Little N has told me that he will never go back to plain Dutch baby pancakes anymore, and I was to only make chocolate ones from now on. Well, if I can find sweet cherries and cream to serve with it, I see why not! 

Here’s the recipe for Black Forest Dutch Baby Pancake.

Black Forest Dutch Baby Pancake

 

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Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

20 mins

Total time

30 mins

 

This puffy chocolate Dutch baby is topped with a fresh cherry compote and whipped cream for a delightful take on the classic Black Forest gateau.

Author: Anjana Devasahayam

Recipe type: Breakfast, Brunch, Dessert

Cuisine: Continental

Serves: 2-3

You will need:

For Cherry Compote,

• Fresh cherries - 1 cup, pitted
• Sugar - ½ cup
• Water - ¼ cup
• Kirsch (cherry brandy) - 2 tsp (optional)

For Chocolate Dutch Baby,

• Unsalted butter - 2 tbsp
• Eggs - 3, large
• Milk - ½ cup
• Vanilla exact - 1 tsp
• All-purpose flour - 6 tbsp
• Unsweetened cocoa powder - 3 tbsp
• Sugar - ¼ cup
• Salt - ½ tsp

For serving,

• Whipped cream - 1 cup
• Chocolate sauce - as needed
• Fresh cherries - 10-12

How to:

1. Cherry Compote: Take cherries, sugar and water in a medium saucepan. Cook on medium heat until sugar dissolves and the cherries begin to soften. Add kirsch now, if using. Allow the cherry compote to thicken slightly. Remove from heat and set aside.
2. Chocolate Dutch Baby: Pre-heat the oven to 425 degree.F. Cut butter into small pieces and scatter on a 9” or 10” baking pan. Place pan in the oven to melt the butter, but take care not to burn it.
3. Meanwhile, take the other ingredients in a blender jar and blend until smooth; you will just need to run the blender for 10-12 seconds. Do not over-mix.
4. Pour batter into the hot pan and bake for 18-20 minutes or until the pancake is browned and nicely puffed around the edges. Do not open the oven door while baking or the pancake may fail to rise properly.
5. Remove the Dutch bay pancake from the oven. Top it with cherry compote, whipped cream, chocolate sauce and fresh cherries, and serve immediately. The pancake will deflate as it cools.

Notes:

1. For an authentic Black Forest touch, use kirsch (cherry brandy) in the compote and in place of vanilla in the batter itself. But you can skip it if you do not have it.

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It makes for a delicious Father’s Day treat, don’t you think? Do let me know if you try it. Do tag me on socials (@happyandharried on IG) if you do make it.

Have you tried baking a Dutch baby pancake? What are your favorite toppings? Do try this chocolate version and let me know how you like it.

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I am sharing this over at Fiesta Friday.