David Eyre's Pancake
And then dig in.
All of the ingredients fit in the pan! Eggs, butter, flour, nutmeg, lemon, and confectioner's sugar. (Oops! Forgot the milk.)
Re-reading the instructions before I get started!
All you do is whisk together flour, milk, eggs, and nutmeg.
Addie makes sure I don't over-whisk it.
The finished batter.
It smells deliciously of nutmeg.
Next you melt the butter in a cast-iron skillet.
I like to swish the butter up the sides of the pan.
You pour the batter into the pan.
Watch it bubble up, then get it into the hot oven!
And watch it grow -- the Chia-pet of pancakes!
Before serving, you dust it with the confectioner's sugar and lemon juice.
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amanda says: This recipe comes from The Essential New York Times Cookbook, and appeared in the Times in 1966. Forty years later, readers are still making the pancake with no less bliss. What keeps cooks faithful to one recipe is often some confluence of ease and surprise. Eyre’s pancake possesses both. A batter of flour, milk, eggs, and nutmeg is blended together, then poured into a hot skillet filled with butter and baked. Anyone confused? I didn’t think so. The surprise comes at the end, when you open the oven door to find a poufy, toasted, utterly delectable-looking pancake. It soon collapses as you shower it with confectioners’ sugar and lemon juice, slice it up and devour it. It’s sweet and tart, not quite a pancake and not quite a crepe. But lovable all the same. Cooking Notes: Don’t overmix the batter, or the pancake will be tough – a few lumps are fine. This is the moment to call your well-seasoned iron skillet into service.
Serves 2 to 4
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- Pinch of nutmeg
- 4 tablespoons (one half stick) of unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
- Juice of half a lemon
- Heat oven to 425 degrees. Combine the flour, milk, eggs, and nutmeg in a bowl. Beat lightly. Leave the batter a little lumpy.
- Melt the butter in a 12-inch skillet with a heatproof handle. When it is very hot, pour in the batter. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the pancake is golden brown.
- Sprinkle with the sugar and return briefly to the oven. Sprinkle with lemon juice, and serve with jelly, jam, or marmalade.
- This recipe is a Community Pick!
Tags: breakfast, pancakes, sweet
15 days ago Bethcooks
Will be making these again and again. Thank you.
29 days ago Felnr
Just made these. So so yummy.
29 days ago Felnr
I might add that my daughter just beseeched me to make more, saying, "Those pancakes are the best things I've ever tasted. It is my now new most favorite food."
about 1 month ago shozgirl
Been making often since finding this recipe. Definitely prefer the cast iron, often only hv half and half on hand...throwing some blueberries in either with the butter or on top,of the batter in pan is yummy. Hv done bananas, other berries as well.
2 months ago Flanerie
I've also made this for decades, every week or so! For our family of 4, I double the recipe and use a 13x9 glass dish. Preheat dish with 1-2 Tbsp butter. Often I throw in a layer of thinly sliced apple sprinkled with cinnamon sugar to soften for about 7 min before pouring in the batter.... Mmm!
2 months ago Tegans-mom
I had never heard of this type of pancake until a few weeks ago when I was looking for something new to serve for a holiday breakfast. I do believe this is one of those recipes that everyone has a name to describe. Recipes I found online all called this a Dutch Baby. I can't wait to try it!
2 months ago DjeenDjeen
My great uncle used to make this for my mother growing up in Brooklyn. They called this a "ma-lin." I searched for the genesis of this word and found that the old Polish word for pancake was "mlin."
2 months ago amanda
Amanda is a co-founder of Food52.
Haven't heard this name before -- thanks!
3 months ago rocombo
The last time I made these pancakes was at a friend's country house and I used two pans, one cast iron, one non-stick. The cast iron was superior, by far!
3 months ago annasmithclark
I am not the author but would say (having made the recipe almost weekly since I found it) that cast iron is the most ideal as it goes from the stove top to the oven. Adding the dough once the skillet is really hot give is nice crunchy edges. No need to be non stick if the pan is well seasoned. What kind other pan were you considering?
3 months ago Venture
Mmm This looks like a lil happy delight. Now I see you used a cast iron, is this the only kinda skillet you can use to make this pancake? does it need to be cast iron and non stick?
3 months ago amanda
Amanda is a co-founder of Food52.
Any good, oven-safe pan will work. Cast iron gives the pancake a nice crisp bottom but no need to go out and buy a pan to make this. Just use what you've got!
4 months ago Danielle Marie
I only had half/half and it turned out fine. Yum!
5 months ago darby1736
I just made the pancake for supper and--WOW--it was really delicious! Thanks for making this old recipe available.
5 months ago darby1736
I just made the pancake for supper and--WOW--it was really delicious! Thanks for making this old recipe available.
5 months ago annasc
Wonderful alternative to regular pancakes. So much easier on the chef and great for brunches with friends!! Family loves these
9 months ago Hina Khokhar
Would this recipe work well in a 10-inch skillet? That's all I have =(
9 months ago EmilyC
I've made it in a 10" skillet and it works fine!
10 months ago Karen Conner
This really takes me back....shortly after the "Great Depression" my Uncle George drove around the city of Wilmington, Delaware and soon became know as the Waffle Man. He would cook waffles and sprinkle Confectioners Sugar on them while customers watched...somewhat like an Ice Cream truck would do back during the 60's and early 70's. Of course his treat was much more like "Funnel Cake" with the exception he cooked Waffles. Thanks for the wonderful memory and I can't hardly wait to give this a try for tonights supper....Thanks :-)
10 months ago Jenna Kane
How fun to see this again after all of these years... My Dad and I used to make this when I was a kid but I thought it was called "Pancake Omelet". Dad would serve it with Karo syrup for me as a kid, I guess but I remember fondly the lemon juice and powdered sugar! It;s a nice (mature) sort of breakfast!!
11 months ago Ms. T
I needed a little comfort today and this recipe delivered the breakfast hug I was looking for. Like a cross between popovers and pancakes--a perfect hybrid if there ever was one.
11 months ago Nina Beana
You can totally make this with 1 TBSP of butter and 1% milk.
The first time I made it, I made it just how the recipe is written but found it too buttery (I know, is that possible?) I prefer less butter and really couldn't tell the difference using the lower fat milk; your waist line will thank you. It's delicious!
11 months ago lmiller100
Second comment below ("Sauteeing diced, tart apples in the butter first and then pouring the batter over them is a popular variation for our family..." looks promising
xo
12 months ago EmilyC
I'm so late to the game it's embarrassing, but I love this recipe. Made it tonight for the first time, served with scrambled eggs...perfect for a simple, delicious meal after a long week.