Jennifer's Recipe: Baked Peach Pancake

Rockford has been having a number of celebrations this summer to honor the 75th anniversary of the Rockford Peaches, and also the 30th anniversary of the movie, A League of Their Own. It is all very impressive.

If you really want to be impressed and to celebrate all things peaches, head to Schnucks and buy some Eckerts peaches! These delicious peaches are available for a few weeks only. They are usually firm when you buy them, but put them in a brown bag on your counter or just set them on your counter. Keep a close eye on them and soon they will be perfectly ripe and juicy. At that point, you can refrigerate them if you won't use them right away. If you don't have a Schnucks, check local farmers' markets, sometimes you can find excellent peaches there.

Baked Peach Pancake can be made with any good ripe peaches you can find. Another name for this dish is Dutch Baby, Puffed Pancake, Pannekoeken, or even Hootenanny! It is a super simple but impressive recipe. When it is taken out of the oven it is all puffed up like magic happened while it was baking. It deflates quickly so be sure not to miss the puffed part. It is similar to the texture and flavor of a popover. Serving it with peaches makes it a true summer superstar.

I just saw this quote this week and I close with it. "It was the first peach I had ever tasted. I could hardly believe how delicious. At twenty-five, I was dumbfounded afresh by my ignorance of the simplest things." Ted Hughes. If you make the Baked Peach Pancake I think you may have that same reaction!

Stay cool and eat peaches,

Jennifer

Baked Peach Pancake

Ingredients:

2 cups fresh or frozen peeled and sliced peaches

4 teaspoons granulated sugar

1 teaspoon lemon juice

3 eggs

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup milk

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons butter

cinnamon or nutmeg

powdered sugar, sour cream, or maple syrup are all options to use as toppings.

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400. In a microwave-safe bowl, combine the peaches, sugar, and lemon juice. Set aside. In a mixing bowl, beat the eggs until fluffy. Add the flour, milk, and salt; beat until smooth. Place the butter in a 10-inch skillet. Put in the preheated oven for 3-5 minutes or until melted. Open the oven and immediately pour the batter into the hot skillet over the melted butter. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the pancake has risen and is puffed all over. About one minute before removing the pancake from the oven, heat the bowl of peaches in the microwave for about 15-30 seconds. Remove the pancake from the oven and fill it with the peaches and sprinkle with cinnamon or nutmeg. Cut into wedges and serve immediately with the desired toppings.

Serves: about 4

Notes:

* America's Test Kitchen recommends using skim milk in Dutch Babies, but use what you have on hand.

* Be prepared to serve and eat as soon as it comes out of the oven. It makes a dramatic presentation.

* Recipe Source: Midwest Living Magazine

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