Helen Goh is a big-time brunch fan. “I love the mix-and-match vibe of this in-between, convivial meal,” she writes in Baking and the Meaning of Life. 

When she’s feeding a crowd, the Ottolenghi collaborator turns to Dutch Baby pancakes. Unlike their pan-fried American cousins, Dutch pancakes (sometimes called German pancakes or Hooligans) are baked in the oven, and emerge looking more like an oversized Yorkshire pudding than a pancake.

“They arrive … magnificently puffed up and then subside helpfully into a bowl shape that will carry any topping you fancy,” writes Goh, who calls this recipe and its sweet sibling her “secret weapons”.  

“With just a tweak of the simple batter, the pancakes can be sweet or savoury,” she writes. “Golden brown and crisp at the edges, soft and custardy in the centre, they are texturally delightful to eat.” 

Like the occcasion of brunch itself, this recipe is an anything-goes situation. Just make sure your pan is scorching hot (this helps the pancake rise) and your toppings are ready to go – these babies will start deflating as soon as they come out of the oven. “You won’t want to miss the gasps when your guests see that glorious puffed-up pancake emerge.” 

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Helen Goh’s Dutch baby pancake with mortadella and rocket

Serves 4–6 
Preparation time: 15 minutes, plus 2 hours to chill
Cooking time: 30 minutes 

Ingredients

75g plain flour 
20g parmesan cheese, finely grated, plus extra, shaved, for topping 
¼ tsp fine sea salt 
⅛ tsp freshly cracked black pepper 
2 large eggs 
125ml full-cream milk 
15g unsalted butter 
2 tsp olive oil 
30g rocket leaves 
Olive oil and lemon juice, to dress the rocket 
4 thin slices (about 60g) edam cheese 
4 large slices (about 60g) mortadella 

Method

Whisk the flour, parmesan, salt and pepper in a medium mixing bowl and make a well in the centre. Crack the eggs into the well, whisk to break them up, then slowly add the milk. 

Continue to whisk, gradually drawing in the flour until the mixture is smooth. Transfer the batter to a jug, cover and refrigerate until ready to bake (it can be kept in the fridge for up to 2 days). 

Preheat the oven to 190°C fan-forced and place a large, deep ovenproof frying pan, about 25cm in diameter, into the oven to heat up for about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, take the batter out of the fridge and stir well. 

Remove the empty pan from the oven and add the butter and olive oil. Swirl the pan until the butter has melted, then return it to the oven. Pull the oven rack out slightly, then carefully pour the batter into the pan all at once. Push the rack back into the oven and bake for about 25 minutes, until the pancake is golden brown and puffed up. 

Meanwhile, dress the rocket leaves lightly with olive oil and lemon juice. 

When the pancake is cooked, lift it out of the pan with a spatula and slide it onto a large plate. Drape the slices of cheese on the base of the pancake, followed by the slices of mortadella. Top with the dressed rocket leaves and shave extra parmesan cheese all over. Serve immediately. 

This is a lightly edited extract from Baking and the Meaning of Life by Helen Goh, photography by Laura Edwards. Published by Murdoch Books (RRP $55).