A Farewell German Pancake

Today my mother off to a two week-long training session in Washington D.C. My whole family is jealous as we fantasize about the wonderful meals she will find and the american coffee she will drink. We woke up with the plan that we would all go for a leisurely brunch at a hotel, maybe, before sending her on a bus at 11. But, at 9:30, we were not sure that plan was accomplish-able still. So, I threw up my hands and announced I was making german pancake. Louis wanted to make mint chocolate chip milkshakes, but the parents vetoed. No fair.

If you are an adult or a person who can make their own decisions, make milkshakes when you feel like it.

I don't know what they are called that, but German Pancakes are fluffed up giant breakfast Yorkshire puddings. The batter is quite thin, super easy to mix. Also, these pancakes definitely do not require standing by the stove flipping cakes; preventing you from making coffee or other things like stewing fruit. You simply whisk the ingredients together, throw it in the oven, and then proceed to impress all your guests, or at least your stomaches, with its results. Its that easy. There is nothing not like about this breakfast, especially topped with a squeeze of lemon and a sprinkling of sugar.

Even cassie, my cute cute puppy who we brought with all the way from LA, was begging for a slice as we dished it out. Don't worry dog trainers, we didn't give it to her.

German Pancakes
Adapted from Alton Brown
Yield: 2 pancakes, serves four comfortably

Ingredients
6 Tablespoons unsalted butter (melt 2 Tablespoons and set aside)
1 cup all purpose flour
5 Tablespoons sugar (I used 4 because I like it barely sweet)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup milk at room temperature
4 eggs are room temperature
lemon wedges for squeezing
sugar for sprinkling

Place two 9 inch cake pans (or other oven-proof pans, glass works too) into the oven and preheat to 375 degrees.

Whisk the 2 Tablespoons of melted butter, flour, sugar, salt, vanilla, milk, and eggs until well blended and smooth. About 30 seconds.

Take out the pans and Divide the remaining butter between them. Be careful, the pans are extremely hot. Put the pans back in the oven and wait for a two minutes or so until the butter is mostly melted. Then, pour half of the batter into each pan.

Bake for about 25 minutes, until they look puffed and brown. The baking time really depends of the heat of your oven. Sometimes, it takes more like 30 minutes.

serve immediately with the lemon and sugar :)

and *Louis' Tip*: with bacon