A New Way to Dinner, co-authored by Food52's founders Amanda Hesser and Merrill Stubbs, is an indispensable playbook for stress-free meal-planning (hint: cook foundational dishes on the weekend and mix and match ‘em through the week).
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85 Comments
Peg
November 18, 2023
Are you sure we're meant to use a 12 inch skillet? Seems excessive for that amount of batter.
Amanda H.
November 19, 2023
Yes, but you can use a 10- or 11-inch skillet if that's what you have! I wouldn't go smaller though. Part of what's great about this is the thin pancake layer that forms on the base while the edges puff.
Peg
November 20, 2023
Thanks! I have a 12-inch cast iron just thought the batter wouldn't sufficiently cover the bottom. Going to try this soon!
Jack F.
January 3, 2016
This is actually the classic Finnish Kropsua or Pannukakku and Finns have been making it for a thousand years and more. Don't use the recipes that call for equal milk and flour, increase the milk.
Kerstin
March 14, 2014
Does it really rise up the sides of the pan like this? I made it last night and it was delicious and bubbly, but it stayed at the bottom of the pan and was quite thick. Do you swirl the batter around before baking it?
All in all very easy and quick, super enjoyable and versatile recipe, thank you!
All in all very easy and quick, super enjoyable and versatile recipe, thank you!
Amanda H.
March 14, 2014
It does! I'm mystified because I've never had a problem with it not rising up the sides of the pan. Was your oven fully heated before putting in the pan? That's the only reason I can think of that it wouldn't rise up the sides.
Joanne L.
February 10, 2012
Last week my daughter called me for the recipe for what we lovingly called "The Big Fat Pancake" in our house. I remember the day when my mother and I found the recipe in the New York Times. We tried it right away and were hooked. Through some errors, I learned that if you want to double the recipe, bake it in 2 pans (I use cast iron skillets.) We love it with lemon and confectioner's sugar--nothing else. And, each one doesn't serve more than 2 people. I guess we're big eaters.
Pauline G.
December 29, 2011
Amanda, I just saw the comment you left on my "Big Pancake" Blogher post (not sure when you left it) so I zipped right on over here. i love getting more backstory on the mastermind behind the Big Pancake. I will have to share it with my kids, who clamor for this delicacy every weekend. Thank you for introducing me -- and loads of others -- to this fabulous concoction. I love your site, btw, and will be visiting for recipe ideas! Best, Pauline
Annerw
December 10, 2011
I made this often for our family. My husband and I were not married until 1967 so I don't think we saw the original post but my recollection is that sometime in the 70's (perhaps when cc was retiring)?) it was reprised as a most requested recipe. We called it puff pancake in our family to distinguish it from "flat pancakes".
Thanks for the memories.
Thanks for the memories.
Emiko
April 25, 2011
I love this - the story, the letter, the history and the recipe itself. It's right up my alley and I can't wait to try it out!
YumMom
January 9, 2011
My mom made these when we were growing up in the 70s. She called them Bismarcks. So delicious. Just made the Eyre recipe this morning, and even though I used half the butter called for in the pan, it was delicious!
mcs3000
January 4, 2011
Conard Eyre's note is beautiful to read. It's so nice she let you share it with us.
Rhonda35
January 3, 2011
@reatta - If you look under the first picture for the slideshow, there is an orange "share" symbol and next to that is a printer icon. If you click on that, it gives you a print-ready version of the recipe without all the photos.
betteirene
January 3, 2011
This is one recipe that I haven't tweaked. I'm too afraid that if I change it, it will be for the worse. How cool is the Internet! What would Craig Claiborne/Pierre Franey have done with it?
WinnieAb
January 3, 2011
Aw, what a sweet letter. And as I've mentioned before, this recipe has become my family's fav weekend bfast...so easy and tasty. We all love it.
raetta
January 3, 2011
loved your recipe for pancakes and will make them this week, however i did not like getting 5 pages of pics with recipe, to much ink to waste. did i do something wrong in printing it. thanks rae thomson
Amanda H.
January 3, 2011
Didn't realize it would print the entire slideshow -- sorry about that. I've forwarded this to our tech team to look into. Thanks for letting me know!
Soozll
January 3, 2011
Happy New Year! How cool to get a note from David Eyer's daughter! I hope you scrapebook all the notes from recipe originators to keep with your copy of the Cookbook for posterity sake. What an historic addendum it would make. I only made a similar recipe in the past year and fell in love with it. I love it as a dessert; quick to make, not too sweet and with a lot of possibilities for garnishing it. I must give this version a try. Thanks for the update to the original posting of this recipe.
Kitchen B.
January 3, 2011
How fantastic - and what a small world this is. Thanks for sharing the update with us. I still have to make it :-). Have a great 2011 everyone
lastnightsdinner
January 2, 2011
This is so, so wonderful. Thank you for sharing this with us, Amanda - you must have just been bursting when you received this note!
Greenstuff
January 2, 2011
Good heavens! This was a family classic for us as well, but I hadn't had it in years until last week. I didn't trust my popover pans not to stick, so I thought I'd go back to this old favorite. We sometimes had it with the powdered sugar, sometimes with the apples that others seem to like. But usually, we ate it with lingonberries, and that's what we did last week. I'm off to search and see if I can find an original clipping.
Amanda H.
January 2, 2011
Hello all, and happy New Year! Please check out the updated blog post, with a letter from David Eyre's daughter, Conard!
alexa_van_de_walle
November 3, 2010
Amanda,
Inspired by your new book, my mother handed over three recipe scrapbooks to me earlier this week for me to "borrow". I've poured over them, called her several times, done a lot of google research and reminisced intensely about meals she cooked in the early 60s and 70s and how important those ingredients, flavors, smells and recipes are to who I am. The books are falling apart but the "food memories" of my childhood are like yesterday. Last night, she asked "do you remember the David Eyre pancakes". Huh, I asked? Reading over the ingredients list (and finding the Claiborne recipe from 1966 of the delicious pancake covered in sugar and lemon in her scrapbook) brought me back to when I was a child -- loved that oven baked pancake and anything lemony. Thank you so much for your new book and more importantly for opening up a wealth of recipes Mom (and her Mom) handed down to me (mostly NY Times recipes I'll add, mostly Claiborne, Beard). From, a fellow food writer (www.lightheartedlocavore.com), and fan of yours, Lexi Van de Walle....
Inspired by your new book, my mother handed over three recipe scrapbooks to me earlier this week for me to "borrow". I've poured over them, called her several times, done a lot of google research and reminisced intensely about meals she cooked in the early 60s and 70s and how important those ingredients, flavors, smells and recipes are to who I am. The books are falling apart but the "food memories" of my childhood are like yesterday. Last night, she asked "do you remember the David Eyre pancakes". Huh, I asked? Reading over the ingredients list (and finding the Claiborne recipe from 1966 of the delicious pancake covered in sugar and lemon in her scrapbook) brought me back to when I was a child -- loved that oven baked pancake and anything lemony. Thank you so much for your new book and more importantly for opening up a wealth of recipes Mom (and her Mom) handed down to me (mostly NY Times recipes I'll add, mostly Claiborne, Beard). From, a fellow food writer (www.lightheartedlocavore.com), and fan of yours, Lexi Van de Walle....
Amanda H.
November 28, 2010
Lexi, thank you so much for your note! It's amazing how many people loved that pancake. Hope you'll find some new favorites in the book. (And if you do, let me know!). - A
creamtea
October 31, 2010
This is what I make most frequently for Sunday mornings. We call it "Fluffy Cake." Sometimes I allow the butter to brown a little before adding the batter; it's very flavorful that way. Sometimes I use the juice of a lime instead of lemon, and that's quite good too. Sometimes I throw in fresh or frozen blueberries and bake longer. I use an extra egg, equal parts (3/4 c.) milk and flour, and a little vanilla. Sometimes I double the recipe and bake it in a 9x13 pyrex pan for company.
SusinHB
October 31, 2010
I LOVE this - a great standby when no one in the family can decide on dinner. I first heard this called "David Iris" pancake by a friend who gave me the recipe. I also know the recipe by the name "Dutch Baby", but have no idea where this term came from. I love freshly grated nutmeg along with powdered sugar atop the finished pancake.
nanasue
October 31, 2010
My father made this every Sunday for years..until he gave me the chore of making it for him...I will never forget this pancake. I will always make the association...in the fall we would add thinly sliced apples and spices to give the pancake a lift....
PattyMac
October 31, 2010
It's fun to be reminded of this terrific breakfast treat again. My mom always made Dutch Babies for special occasion breakfasts (1950's Seattle). Hers were individual pancakes made in pie plates, which meant that we ate breakfast in stages those days - at some point I realized that a bigger cast iron skillet is a lot more practical (but every once in a while I still get out the pie plates). Our family version of Dutch Baby history is that they were "invented" by Victor Manca who ran Manca's Cafe in Seattle. Yorkshire pudding is a savory cousin of Dutch Babies - another of my favorite childhood foody memories!
NoniS
October 31, 2010
This was our favorite "go to" Sunday breakfast with our kids for years. They now have the recipe to make for theirs. We've tried the original as well as others with fruit, etc. We always go back to the original.
kpcetal
October 31, 2010
We call this a puffy pancake, and and surprise the children with it on dreary mid-winter school mornings! Start by putting the cast iron skillet in the oven with the butter in it- that way the oven and pan get hot and the butter gets melted while you get the rest ready. Dump it in, set the timer and you still have time to help find socks!
Toonces W.
October 31, 2010
We made it this morning, with maple syrup like sagegreen mentioned. Incredible textures and so easy! Reminded me of a flat popover, one of my favorite things.
Bob Y.
October 31, 2010
How good to see, through your research and new book, the name Craig Claiborn being raised again. For many of us of a certain generation, Claiborn's books were seminal - we learned to cook from them. I distinctly remember his introduction of the food processor, and within a few months you could not go to a dinner party that did not begin with home-made pate . With Julia, he changed my life.
chrisw
October 31, 2010
German Pancake, Dutch Baby, Henry Thiele's Pancake, David Eyer's Pancake, tastes and looks wonderful by any name!!! I also know this recipe, with or without apples or w/or wo/jam from my German mother and . . . a Portland Oregon breakfast establishment whose specialty was this very extravaganza!!
Thanks so very much for the reminder . . .
Thanks so very much for the reminder . . .
donnaweaves
October 31, 2010
There is a great version of this called "Baked German Pancake" in the Colorado Cache cookbook - page 66. I've been making it for special breakfasts ever since the cookbook came out in 1978! The accompanying recipe for "Swiss Honey Butter" is the perfect topping, although I usually just spread a good jam on top and then sprinkle with powdered sugar. Yum! I could eat two of these all by myself!
ryanm
January 2, 2011
So that's where my mom got the recipe. Colorado Cache has long been one of her standby cookbooks (I didn't know anyone else used it!), and this was often on the Sunday breakfast table. Best served with an immoderate amount of powdered sugar and lemon juice, bacon on the side.
paulkog
October 31, 2010
We made this yesterday and it was incredible! This should be world's greatest brunch recipe.
And it was perfect accompanied by a plateful of bacon.
The only surprise was how "desserty" it was. I thought: throw in some fruit, and you've got "clafouti". Waddya think?
And it was perfect accompanied by a plateful of bacon.
The only surprise was how "desserty" it was. I thought: throw in some fruit, and you've got "clafouti". Waddya think?
thirschfeld
October 31, 2010
This was a big hit this morning at my house. It is totally a high class Elephant ears, yum. Next time I am getting out the 24 inch cast iron skillet and doubling the recipe.
Ayelet
October 30, 2010
Amanda, Michael makes this for me almost every weekend. Or at least he used to before I went on a perpetual diet. I even wrote a piece about it for, I think, Glamour Magazine! I'm sitting her waiting for it to be 9 AM so I can wake him up and have him make it again. We forgo the Jam, by the way, and content ourselves with sugar and lemon juice. What can I say? We're purists.
Amanda H.
October 30, 2010
How funny! I'm a purist about it, too. I like cut of acidity with all the sugar and butter.
iuzzini
October 30, 2010
Mmm! We made these this morning! Totally delicious and puffed up perfectly for a pretty dazzling yet rustic little presentation. Loved them topped with homemade preserves. Thanks!
Soozll
October 29, 2010
I made a variation of this for the first time last year as a dessert. I hadn't heard it's history and never thought about it as a breakfast food. The one I made had the batter poured over sauteed sweetened apple slices. It was the perfect weeknight dessert, not too sweet and when shared, not too filling. I was so impressed! Now I know I have Mr Eyers to thank. Can't wait to read the new cookbook,I love recipe history and, of course, lots of recipes!
gingerroot
October 29, 2010
Yum! My family loves these with apples, and although I never knew the food history behind them, I went to high school with David Eyre's granddaughter.
Emalani
November 1, 2010
Hi! I'm David Eyre's granddaughter (one of 6); with which one did you go to highschool? It's great fun to see all these comments from folks still enjoying and attaching my dear grandfather's name to the sweet treat. When I was growing up, my dad used to tell me the recipe was a secret, passed on only from Eyre fathers to Eyre sons. But by the time my little brother was old enough to be cooking, I had already noticed and copied the recipe from the framed New York Times feature in my grandfather's kitchen.
Emma Eyre
Emma Eyre
gingerroot
November 1, 2010
Hi Emma, I went to Punahou with you : ). Like I mentioned above, I did not know about the connection to your Grandfather, but when this was posted on Friday and I read Amanda's headnote it got me thinking...a quick FB search of friends of friends and I got to your painting website. Anyway, we enjoyed this yesterday morning and it was so good! Cheers, Jenny (Kessner) Engle
Kitchen B.
October 29, 2010
Actually, thinking about it, that would make a great loose pie bottom, topped with all the sauteed apples I've read below and dollops of creme fraiche. Wow, heaven and easy like sunday morning
Kitchen B.
October 29, 2010
Gorgeous photos, great recipe. I will try a version of it this weekend with some ground-up maple flakes and orange dust for flavouring! I think my husband would love it, my kids would be wowed by its 'theatrical' looks and I would ignore them all.....and tuck in with a cup of creamy coffee.
mrslarkin
October 29, 2010
sounds so yummy! I will try it! I make a similar but different recipe that I got from Cosmo years ago which incorporates sauteed apples. So so good.!!
mrslarkin
November 1, 2010
This was dinner tonight! (with a side of strawberries.) Sconegirl liked it a lot. Sconeboy said "meh, needs chocolate chips maybe." I ran out of conf. sugar, so sprinkled a little turbinado - gave it a nice crunch. Sconeboy named it "pancake pizza." I did not use lemon since I was making it for the kids. We put butter and maple syrup on top. Pictures are deceiving, but It's really thin when you plate it. It sure is impressively poufy in the oven! I would make this again for sure. thanks, amanda!
dymnyno
October 29, 2010
I put the same recipe called "Henry Thiele's Pancake" on food52. I got the recipe from August, the second husband of Mrs. Theile, who gave the recipe to me at their restaurant. Her first husband was a famous restauranteur and who gave it to James Beard (also from Portland) who wrote about it. I have a special pan that I cook the pancake in.
Kitchen B.
October 29, 2010
Hi dymnyo - before I rush off to buy a pan, please can you tell me what yours looks like?
dymnyno
October 29, 2010
My pancake pan looks like a shallow wok. ( I bought it about 30 years ago when I lived in Portland, OR) A large shallow cast iron pan works well too.
peanutbutteryum
October 29, 2010
I love these things.. I know them as a Dutch Baby. I go with the lemon juice and powder sugar, it creates such a great sweet past like icing. Also, during the summer berries make an appearance.
Sagegreen
October 29, 2010
Thanks for this recipe and the food writer history. Honolulu! There is one maple sugar house out in the foothills of western Massachusetts that serves this up on their breakfast menu, but only during the short maple season, the only time they are open. Blasphemy, perhaps, for a dyed in the wool New Englander to admit, I far prefer lemon to maple syrup.
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