That’s how excited I get when I see the fruit truck at the Saskatoon Farmer’s Market, unloading crate after crate of the ruby red jewels. I wait all year for this day, and happily wait in line with my treasures. The fact that they come from an orchard in the Okanagan beats out anything that comes from Washington, in my opinion. B.C. cherries are the best, and we’re lucky to get them every weekend in the summer.
So, what to do with them, besides eat them by the handful? I suppose the real question is what can’t you do with them? They are glorious on top of overnight oats, stirred into grainy salads, folded into cakes and muffins — and then there is pie. There is always pie.
If you don’t have a cherry pitter, I suggest you get one, as it makes dealing with this fruit that much better. Standing at the counter, trying to take the pit out with a knife or some other doodad really is the pits, pardon the pun. A friend, aware of my cherry addiction, gave me a pitter years ago and it’s my most treasured kitchen tool in the summer.
Breakfast is a big deal around here, and I love whipping up a Dutch baby whenever I get a chance. Dutch baby pancakes are the love child of a pancake, a popover and a crepe all baked up in one giant skillet. You get the best qualities of each of these, and it only takes 20 minutes to bake.
Essentially, a thick, crepe-like batter is poured into a screaming hot skillet that has been preheated and well coated in butter. The eggs in the batter make it puff up like crazy, the edges get crispy and then the whole thing collapses, waiting for whatever goodness you wish to fill it with. It’s really quite a lovely thing to behold. Fresh, seasonal fruit is then scattered on top. And do give it a dusting of icing sugar for a fancy effect.
I like to make these when I don’t have time to stand at the stove and make pancakes or crepes. The batter gets whirled up in the blender, so there aren’t a lot of bowls to wash up, either. And the whole thing looks to darn impressive when you pull it from the oven — definitely Instagram worthy.
Out of the oven, the Dutch baby will quickly slump back into the pan as the steam holding it up quickly evaporates in the cooler air of your kitchen. What’s left behind is a pancake with the soft, tender texture of a hot crepe and the eggy flavour of a sweet popover. All it needs now is some sweet cherries, and maybe a drizzle or two of maple syrup. Glory be, indeed.
Cherry Dutch Baby
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole milk
2 Tbsp granulated sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
3 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups fresh cherries, pitted
3 Tbsp icing sugar
Maple syrup (optional)
Preheat oven to 400F. Place the rack in the centre of the oven.
Place the eggs, flour, milk, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in a blender. Blend on high until you have a smooth batter. Place the butter in a 10-inch cast iron skillet and put it in the oven.
Remove the skillet from the oven once the butter has melted and then use a pastry brush to evenly coat the sides and bottom of the pan with the butter. Blitz the egg mixture for another 10 seconds and then pour it into the prepared skillet. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the Dutch baby is puffed and golden brown.
Remove the skillet from the oven and let it cool on a wire rack for about five minutes. Cut the Dutch baby into four, top with cherries and dust with icing sugar.
Serve warm on your prettiest plates (because life is too short to keep them all alone in the cupboard), or if you’re like me and live alone, go ahead and eat it out of the skillet. I won’t tell anyone. Leftovers can be kept, covered, in the refrigerator for up to one day.
Notes: Top the Dutch baby with any seasonal fruit or berries, or fruit compotes. Even a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and icing sugar is sometimes all you need.
If you don’t have a cast iron skillet, any 10-inch baking dish with sides at least two and a half inches high will do.
