Pancake Alternatives: Almond Dutch Baby

I spent a good year of my life testing pancake recipes for my Pancake cookbook - it was a glorious, carb-filled year. After that pancake-making stint, I didn't want to eat or make another pancake recipe for a very, very long time. And I didn't. I steered clear of them, instead opting for savory egg dishes with bacon or sausage on the side...until a few days ago when al I wanted in the entire world was a stack of fluffy buttermilk pancakes. As I opened my cupboard, I was disappointed to discover that I had run out of baking powder and baking soda, so I turned to the type of pancake that gets its leavening from eggs: the glorious Dutch Baby.

Dutch babies are a cross between a thick German pancake and a crepe. They're paper thin, airy, and light with an egg texture. They're rumored to have originated out of Seattle, Washington, and if you haven't had one, you're in for a treat.

The batter will be thing, with a few lumps, and be very similar in texture to a crepe batter. When in the oven, the dutch baby will puff up, rise and turn a beautiful golden brown. I decided to add a bit of lemon, almond extract and silvered almonds for nice texture. You can slice it up and top it with maple syrup, if you like, though I prefer a nice sprinkling of powdered sugar.