This pancake cooks in a cast-iron skillet in a very hot oven and puffs up stunningly, albeit briefly. Then, just moments out of the oven, it
deflates. But the result is a crispy pancake with a custardy interior. It’s
impressive and delicious, but to pull it off, you have to bake it in a
cast-iron skillet and you must use skim milk (reduced fat translates to more
crispiness). This, and the cornstarch (also known for its crisping ability), is what makes the pancake crispy. Serve with fresh fruit and
cottage cheese, or with pork
sausage, vegetarian sausage or bacon.
It’s
important that the skillet is at just the right temperature. If you don’t think
you can prepare the Popover Pancake batter in 10 minutes (the time it takes for
the cast-iron skillet to get hot), prepare the batter first, then place the
skillet in the oven.
4 servings
2 tablespoons neutral oil
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
¼ cup cornstarch
1 teaspoon salt
3 eggs, at room
temperature
1¼ cup skim milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
Butter and syrup
1. Preheat
oven to 450°F.
2. Place
oil in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet. Heat the skillet in the oven for 10 minutes.
3. In a large bowl,
combine the flour, cornstarch and salt.
4. In a stand mixer,
beat the eggs on medium high heat until pale yellow, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add milk and vanilla, and beat
until well blended. Add about ⅓ of the egg/milk mixture to the flour mixture. Whisk
until the mixture is free of lumps. Add the remaining egg/milk mixture and whisk until
smooth.
5. Remove the skillet
from the oven and carefully whirl the oil around the pan, and immediately transfer the
pancake mixture to the skillet.
6. Bake for about 20
minutes. Cut into 4 wedges, transfer wedges to serving plates. Serve
immediately with butter and syrup.
