Dutch Baby

This is one of our family's absolute favorite ways of dealing with our current overabundance of eggs. Having five well-laying chickens turns out to be more eggs than we perhaps bargained for.

Dutch Baby

This recipe lists several steps. For best results, follow the steps in exact order. Temperature, rest time, and prep are all vital to a correct result.

Ingredients

9 eggs
1 1/2 c milk
1 1/2 c flour
1 tbsp wheat gluten
1 tsp vanilla
1 stick butter

Note: Adding gluten to all-purpose flour turns it into bread flour. To keep it simple, you can substitute 1 1/2c bread flour for the two ingredients above. Or, you can use all-purpose flour without the gluten, but your dutch baby will not have the same spectacular rise. Gluten is essential for a good rise, so I keep it handy in my kitchen and add it to all-purpose or wheat flour instead of stocking separate kinds of flour.

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees and place a wide cast iron dish inside. I use a shallow dutch oven, but you could also use a skillet. It is important that the dish be cast iron; otherwise, you will not get a nice crispy crust on the bottom. It is also vital that you preheat the dish.
2. Beat the eggs until they are frothy. I use my stand mixer for this and it takes a while. You're not looking for a meringue, just lots and lots of bubbles.
3. Place the stick of butter in the cast iron pan to melt. While it's melting, add all the other ingredients to the eggs and mix until well blended (no large lumps).
4. Once the butter is completely melted, gently pour the batter into the cast iron dish. Do not attempt to mix the batter and the butter. They will each do their own thing to delightful result.
5. Bake 25-30 min or until set in the center. The dutch baby will rise significantly, usually at least once over the height of the pan - do not be alarmed. This is normal.

Serve immediately or it will fall.You can eat it with maple syrup, jelly, whipped cream, peanut butter, nutella, or any other crepe topping you can think of. We like ours with syrup and a fruit or green salad on the side. It is delicious in every case.

Enjoy!

Ruth's Cookie Frosting

Ruth told me her frosting recipe was just a basic recipe, and it turns out that it is - with just a slight twist. She thins with milk instead of water. It gives the frosting a creamier taste.

Ingredients

1/2 c vegetable shortening
1/2 c butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 c sifted confectioner's sugar
3 tbsp milk

Time

Prep 10 min

Instructions

1. Cream shortening & butter; add vanilla.
2. Gradually add sugar, one cup at a time, beating until well blended. It often looks like little beads of frosting at this stage.
3. Add milk and beat until light & fluffy.

For best results, keep tightly covered until ready to use or use immediately. Frosting will 'set' within minutes of being spread or piped.
Can be stored up to 2 weeks; rewhip before use.

Ruth's Sugar Cookies

Finally figured out Ruth's sugar cookie recipe. This is not an easy one to work with, but the result is a crisp outside, chewy inside and a sweet taste with just a bit of tang.

Ingredients

1/2 c butter
1/2 c shortening
1 c sugar
3 eggs
3 1/2 c flour
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp cream of tartar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla

Time

Prep: 1/2 hour
Rest: Overnight
Cook: 8-10 min per batch (about 40 min)

Instructions

1. Cream together butter, shortening and sugar in a stand mixer until well combined and fluffy. Add eggs and blend very well.
2. In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking powder and cream of tartar. Add flour mixture gradually to cream mixture.
3. Once fully combined, add vanilla.
4. The dough will be a sticky mess. Scrape it out with a spatula onto a piece of plastic wrap and twist shut or cover the dough by pressing the plastic wrap down into the mixing bowl.
5. Chill dough overnight or at least 4 hours in the back of the refrigerator. The result is a bit like play doh. It is sticky and crumbly at the same time.
6. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. "Flour" your rolling surface and rolling pin with confectioner's sugar.
7. Roll out cookies no thinner than about 1/4 inch - thinner cookies will flake, burn and crumble. These will not rise (much), so cut them the thickness you want them when they are finished. Continue rolling and cutting, using sugar to prevent sticking. If it is warm out or you take a long time, return the dough to the fridge to firm it up.
8. Bake on an un-greased cookie sheet (we used parchment paper to great success) for 8-10 min or until just barely brown on the edges. Place in an airtight container as soon as they are cool enough.
9. These are delightful cookies by themselves, especially if you're a bit heavy on the sugar while rolling. They come out sweet and tangy from the cream of tartar, and work well with frosting, egg wash or just plain.

Makes 4-6 dozen, depending on the size of your cutouts.