A buttery Gluten Free Dutch baby with whole grain oat flour and a topping of sautéed pears, toasted hazelnuts and fresh herbs. 

When we leave the comfort of home, my farmer fella and I play a little people-watching game we like to call “Who Made Him/Her?” For a game of my creation, there are very few rules, and surprisingly, there’s no score keeping or ultimate winner. Simply look around the room until inspiration strikes. Pick your subject. Then nonchalantly point out the subject and declare who they resemble. 

This last part is very loose and in no way limited by biology. For instance, “see that guy at the corner of the bar? He looks like Steve Buscemi, our crazy neighbor and oddly enough, Adele.” Then my fella will throw out, “yeah, and a little bit of Joe Rogan.” “Yeah, I can see that.” Then we order a drink and play another round, should the inspiration strike.     

When I told the Rustbelt Farmer I was making a gluten-free Dutch Baby for brunch, he looked at me confusedly, and that’s when our game bridged the divide from people to food. “It’s like a pancake and a crepe and an omelette had a sweet baby.” He nodded slowly, still processing the combination.

Baked in a cast-iron skillet, this Gluten Free Dutch Baby has a few advantages over pancakes: there’s less temperature guess work since it’s baked, less patience required (ie: no jumping the gun on a bubbly batter) and no pressure to flip. Plus, the eggs add a light texture, so it’s harder to hit that pancake coma level. And you can/should still drizzle them generously with pure maple syrup. (That being said, I’m already scheming some savory versions of this with roasted salmon, crème fraîche and capers.) 

Give it a whirl (both the Gluten Free Dutch Baby and the people-watching game)!

Cheers,

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Gluten Free Dutch Baby with Hazelnuts & Sautéed Pears

About this Recipe: High fiber, whole grain gluten-free oat flour adds a subtle sweet flavor to this light brunch option. Think crepe meets omelette meets pancake. Oats are naturally gluten-free, but they are often processed with other grains, so be sure to buy a certified gluten-free product if that’s a real health concern (eg: Bob’s Red Mill). 

Dutch Baby

3 eggs, at room temperature
1/2 cup milk, at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup sifted gluten-free oat flour
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter

Topping

2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
2 pears, seeded and sliced
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup hazelnut pieces
2 sprigs of rosemary

To Serve

Mascarpone cheese or homemade whipped cream
Maple syrup

For the Dutch Baby: Preheat the oven to 375°F. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the eggs, milk and vanilla extract until combined and frothy.

In a separate mixing bowl, sift together the oat flour, pumpkin pie spice and salt, then whisk together. Add the dry ingredients to the egg mixture, and beat to combine.

Place a 9-inch cast iron skillet over medium heat, and melt 2 tablespoons of the butter, swirling to coat the bottom and sides of the skillet. Pour the batter into the skillet and bake for 20 minutes. While the Dutch baby bakes, prepare the topping.

For the Topping: Melt the butter in a cast iron skillet or saucepan over medium heat. Add the sliced pears. Cook for about 2 minutes, or until the pears start to brown a little and are covered completely by cinnamon and butter. Stir the chopped hazelnuts into the mixture, and cook for an additional 2 to 3 minutes, or until the nuts become fragrant and the pears are soft. Add the rosemary and swirl in the butter until softened but not brown. Remove the pear mixture from heat, and set aside.

Remove the Dutch baby from the oven, and let rest for about 3 minutes. Top with the pear mixture. Cut into slices, and serve with a dollop of mascarpone cheese and a drizzle of maple syrup.

Enjoy (with a glass of champagne)!