How to Make a Pancake in the Oven

My family and friends adore my Swedish pancakes, but I’m not quite so enthusiastic about making them. Either everyone else eats while I make batch after batch; or have to get up early, make them, and stash them in the oven on warm until we all sit down to eat. Neither option is very appealing. I still make them once in a while, especially for birthdays, but when somebody asks for pancakes, I often opt for this excellent substitute: Manka’s Babies.

James Beard

“James A. Beard was an American treasure, and his books remain the American classics that deserve an honored place on the shelves of everyone who loves food.” —Julia Child

This recipe is from the New York Times Bestseller The New James Beard cookbook. A world-famous chef by the time this book was published in 1981, chef James Beard is also credited as being the first person to host a cooking show on network television. I Love to Eat aired live from 1946 to 1947 on NBC. He owned and operated cooking schools in New York and Oregon and published over 20 cookbooks between 1940 and his death in 1985.

In 1986, Beard’s friends and colleagues formed the now prestigious non-profit organization the James Beard Foundation. The foundation’s headquarters and primary event space are in Beard’s former home at 167 West 12th Street in New York City’s Greenwich Village.

The organization hosts dinners showcasing top chefs and offers scholarships to culinary school students. It also holds an annual awards ceremony to honor notable achievements in the food industry. On its website, the James Beard Foundation says its mission is “to make America’s food culture more delicious, diverse, and sustainable for everyone.”

Manka’s Babies

Makes enough for four people or two very hungry people!

Ingredients:

1/3 cup unsalted butter

4 eggs

1 cup milk

1 cup all-purpose flour

Equipment:

9 to 10-inch oven-safe skillet (I use cast iron)

Blender or food processor

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F.

Put the butter in the skillet and let it melt in the oven while you prepare the batter.

Combine the eggs, milk, and flour in a blender or food processor and blend until you produce a smooth batter.

(NOTE: If you are using a bullet-style blender, you may have to stop and shake it a few times to make sure flour doesn’t get stuck around the seal. The great thing about using this type of blender is that it’s a perfect size and makes for much easier clean-up than a food processor or standard blender.)

Remove the skillet from the oven and pour the batter over the melted butter.

Put the skillet back in the oven and bake for 15 to 20 minutes until it puffs up and browns. (NOTE: Sometimes the edges will rise, and the center will be flat, and other times the whole thing will puff up like a souffle. Either way, it’s positively magical and will taste delicious.)

Remove the skillet from the oven and cut the pancake into wedges. You can serve these with maple syrup, strawberry sauce, sugared strawberries with yogurt, or any kind of fruit. You can also try savory combinations like ham slices or spinach with grated cheese. I think it would even be great with leftover mushroom sauce.

(NOTE: I have made this with both unsalted and salted butter. Unsalted is definitely better if you are going with a sweet filling. Savory fillings are a better choice if you only have salted butter on hand.)

This is one of my favorite things to serve when I have overnight guests. Instead of being tied to the stove as a human pancake production line, I can sit down and enjoy breakfast with everyone else.