Make A Savory Dutch Baby For Your Next Party Appetizer And Thanks Us Later

Pancakes are good, but a Dutch baby is amazing. This favorite incorporates all the amazing qualities of a pancake and a popover in one bite. Baked in an oven in a skillet, a Dutch baby uses nothing more than flour, eggs, a little sugar, and milk to create the batter, along with some butter to grease the pan and impart its creamy goodness to the puffy, cakey end-product. Slice into pizza-like servings. Top it with a dusting of confectioner's sugar, a little bit of fresh fruit to create a triple-berry Dutch baby, or some syrup and you have a meal that leaves everyone satiated. 

But a Dutch baby doesn't always have to be sweet. A savory version of this dish is not only delicious, it is perfect for serving as an appetizer at your next soiree. Sans the sugar, a savory Dutch baby uses the same ingredients a normal Dutch baby uses in addition to some salty, meaty favorites that will make your mouth salivate. Herbs, caramelized onions, sauteed mushrooms and prosciutto, sharp-flavored cheeses, and ground sausage all take center stage with this different take on this German specialty.

Transforming this dish from sweet to savory results in a true makeover for your mouth. Without the sweetener, a Dutch baby has more of an eggy taste and instead is more reminiscent of a Yorkshire pudding which uses meaty drippings to give it a rich, savory bite.  To create your masterpiece, when you mix up the batter in your blender you can add herbs like thyme, basil, or oregano directly to it to give it an herby vibe along with some shredded cheese like parmesan or pecorino.

Pour the batter into a muffin tin, being sure not to overfill. Top it with sauteed veggies, drizzle a little balsamic glaze over it, slice it up, and watch your guests gobble it up. What you appreciate about this reimagined Dutch baby is how many mouths it can feed. In general, a Dutch baby can feed between four and six people, but when you are serving it as an appetizer, you can divvy up this billowy pancake into much smaller individual proportions, you can expect to feed 12 people.

The Dutch baby is quite versatile and can support a lot of different flavors. If you are going for a sophisticated cocktail party and want to do a riff on a blini, add some dill and lemon zest to your batter before you bake it. Top your warm pancake with caviar, smoked salmon, and a dollop of creme fraiche. Serve with champagne and your guests are not going to want the party to end.

You can bring a taste of Thai to your appetizer by topping your Dutch babies with a spicy peanut sauce, some pickled carrots, spring onions, pulled chicken, and a sprinkle of sweet Thai Basil or cilantro. Serve with a coconut martini. Feeling like a heirloom tomato caprese? Top your Dutch babies with a mini slice of mozzarella, thinly sliced, tomatoes that have been seasoned with salt and pepper, chiffonade basil, and a drizzle of olive oil. Pass around glasses of your favorite with a pinot blanc.