Dutch Baby with Chocolate and Hazelnuts

Dutch Baby with Chocolate and Hazelnuts

Bonjour. Welcome back to my kitchen my friends where I indulge my culinary cravings and experiment to my hearts content. On a cold, blustery day like today I continue to embrace our
S-l-o-w Sunday feature here at More Than Burnt Toast. I hope you'll pull up a cozy chair and join me. I have a place set for you at my table. Let me make you a steaming mug of chai tea or your favourite "joe" and a virtual breakfast just as you like it.

Whenever the mood hits us we will highlight breakfast and brunch ideas that allow us to explore all that a leisurely morning can offer. In my home Sunday is the day for putting my feet up. No matter which S-l-o-w Day you can manage the day should be s-l-o-w, no rushing around, no big errands, just taking your time and moseying along. My idea of enjoying a Sunday morning is to have a warm cup of tea and a long and lovingly prepared breakfast. Any time spent in the kitchen is time well spent!

Today the Dutch Baby makes another appearance this time drizzled with plenty of warm, melted chocolate and caramelized hazelnuts. A Dutch baby is a sweet breakfast dish similar to Yorkshire pudding and derived from the German Apfelpfannkuchen. This dish won me over years ago not only because of its cute name, but also because it puffs up to great heights while cooking. If you want to impress your guests this makes quite the presentation!!!!This pancake is not as sweet as other pancakes so is traditionally served with lemon juice and icing (powdered) sugar. That is nice but I wanted, NEEDED chocolate!!! Whether I am entertaining family or friends or going solo breakfast on the weekend is the highlight of a S-l-o-w Sunday. If you add chocolate.......

 **Dutch Baby Pancake With Chocolate and Hazelnuts**

 3 eggs, room temperature
 1/2 cup milk, room temperature
 1/2 cup sifted bread flour or all-purpose flour*
 1/8 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
 7 teaspoons butter
120 grams (4 1/2 oz/1/2 cup) milk or dark chocolate
 30 grams caramelized hazelnuts (recipe below)
 Whipped cream

*Bread flour is a high-protein flour. The high protein helps the pancake rise. All-purpose flour may be substituted but the results won't be as spectacular.

 Preheat oven to 450F. NOTE: It is very important that you preheat your oven. Place oven rack on the middle rack of your oven. Place a large, heavy ovenproof frying pan or a cast-iron skillet (I like to use my 10-inch cast-iron skillet), in the oven until hot and sizzling.

While pan is heating, prepare your batter. NOTE: Use a shallow pan, not more than 3 inches deep (pie pans, cast-iron skillets, oven-proof fry pans, baking dishes, paella pans). Like I said before, I prefer using a cast-iron skillet or pan because it acts as a heat reservoir, retaining the heat and distributing it evenly.

In a large bowl, beat the eggs with a blender until light and frothy; add milk, flour, vanilla extract, and cinnamon; beat for 5 minutes more. The batter will be thin, but very smooth and creamy.

Using a pot holder, remove the hot skillet from the oven; add the butter; tilting the pan to melt the butter and coat the skillet. Pour the prepared batter into the hot skillet, all at once, and immediately return the skillet to the oven.

Bake approximately 20 to 25 minutes or until puffed and golden brown (bake until the pancake puffs up around the edges - it may puff irregularly in the center).

While the pancake is baking melt chocolate in the microwave on HIGH.

Chop caramelized hazelnuts.

Remove from oven and serve immediately. Either bring the pancake to the table in its pan or slide it onto a serving plate. Once out of the oven, the pancake will begin to deflate. Coat generously with melted milk chocolate, sprinkle the caramelized hazelnuts and a little icing sugar and eat without waiting!Serve with whipped cream if desired.

NOTE: If you have different sizes of pans adjust your batter accordingly.
Pan Size      Butter      Eggs      Milk and Flour

2-3 qt.         ¼ cup        3          ¾ cup each
3-4 qt.         1/3 cup      4          1 cup each
4-4½ qt       ½ cup        5          1¼ cups each
4½-5 qt       ½ cup        6          1½ cups each

 **Caramelized Hazelnuts**

 1 cup roasted hazelnuts
 2 tablespoon sugar

 In cast iron skillet over medium heat slowly melt 2 tablespoons sugar. Mix hazelnuts, covering well with sugar. Cook until light amber color. Set aside to cool on parchment paper before use.

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