A Dutch Baby Is a Simple and Adaptable Breakfast. Try a Recipe from Evanston's Burl

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Brunch menus tend to be fairly standard: a breakfast sandwich, avocado toast, eggs benedict, pancakes, French toast. The Evanston restaurant Burl has all that (and brunch cocktails) on its new Sunday brunch menu, which just launched at 2545 Prairie Ave., even if they are distinguished by the restaurant's focus on local farms and wood fire. What you almost never see is a Dutch baby (also known as a puffed pancake), an egg-enriched pancake that rises above its rim while baking, the air pockets providing the ideal base for toppings.

At Burl, which husband-and-wife hospitality veterans Tom Carlin and Rachel Canfora-Carlin opened earlier this year, the Dutch baby currently comes with maple syrup and apple compote. But you can top it with any sort of fruit marmalade or even just lemon juice and powdered sugar. Or take it in a savory direction with ham or the like. Try Carlin's recipe below.

Dutch Baby

Ingredients

3 eggs
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon orange zest
3 tablespoons sugar
1 pinch of salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Directions

1. In a blender, puree the eggs until they are frothy, about 2 minutes.  Add the remaining ingredients.  Pour into a container and allow to rest for about an hour. 

2. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Place your desired pan in the oven with about a tablespoon of butter; warm it until melted, but not too brown.  

3. Pour the batter into the pan until it is about half full. Cook until fully risen, then open the oven door slightly and continue to cook at a slightly cooler temperature for another minute or two. (In the restaurant, we accomplish this by using our wood-fire oven, which is much cooler at the mouth of the oven.) Serve.