Dutch Baby Not Puffing Up | Ask Nigella.com (2024)

Full question

Hi! I made Nigella's Dutch Baby but it didn't come out all puffed up out of the oven. It came out flat, but still tasted very good. What can I do to have it puffed and golden as described in the recipe ?

Our answer

Nigella's Dutch Baby (from SIMPLY NIGELLA) is a batter that is baked in a very hot oven. As it bakes the batter puffs up, in a similar way to a Yorkshire pudding or a popover. The recipe doesn't contain any chemical leavening as the milk and eggs create steam that causes the Dutch Baby to rise.

If the pancake was a little flat it is most likely that either the oven or the skillet (or other pan) was not hot enough. If the pan isn't hot enough then the liquid does not heat up and create the steam quickly enough and so the flour will cook through and set before the pancake can rise. We suggest that you give the oven and skillet plenty of time to heat up thoroughly before adding the batter. This could be 10-20 minutes, depending on your oven. We would also suggest using a metal pan if you don't have a cast iron skillet, as heat conducts quickly through metal in comparison with some other materials.

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Dutch Baby Not Puffing Up | Ask Nigella.com (2024)

FAQs

Dutch Baby Not Puffing Up | Ask Nigella.com? ›

Our answer

Why is my Dutch baby not puffing? ›

There are two main culprits to flat, sad Dutch baby pancakes: Your oven wasn't hot enough. The hotter your oven, the more puffed your Dutch baby pancake will be. Make sure to preheat the oven for at least 10 minutes before baking the batter.

Why is my Dutch baby so eggy? ›

If you would like the inside of the finished dish to be a little less "egg-y" then cut the number of eggs down to 3, and many many reviewers also found that just 3 Tablespoons of butter worked better for them.

Why did my Dutch baby collapse? ›

Out of the oven, the Dutch baby will quickly collapse back into the pan — the steam holding it up quickly evaporates in the cooler air of your kitchen.

Why is my Dutch baby so dense? ›

Not Enough Butter: Coat the hot pan with plenty of butter. That is crucial for a fluffy and puffy Dutch baby pancake. Overmixing the Batter: Blend the batter just until the ingredients are incorporated. Overmixing the batter can cause the gluten in the flour to overdevelop, leading to a dense pancake.

Why is my choux not puffing up? ›

If too much egg is added or if it is added too quickly, the Choux's ability to rise when baked will be affected. Similarly, if not enough egg is incorporated, it won't puff, causing it to be dense inside.

What is it that makes the Dutch baby rise? ›

Like popovers and Yorkshire pudding, the thing that gives Dutch babies their signature puff is steam. In order for that steam to work the pancake into its signature peaks and valleys, you need two things: enough air in a well-developed batter and a piping-hot pan and oven.

Do Dutch babies sleep more? ›

Many Dutch parents emphasize rest and regularity for their infants. 8-Month-old Dutch babies slept 1.67 h more than U.S. babies. They also showed a more mature pattern of Quiet Sleep. The differences correspond to parental beliefs and practices.

Can you heat up a Dutch baby? ›

Make-Ahead and Storage. How to Reheat: Place the Dutch baby on a cookie sheet tray lined with parchment paper and cooked at 350° until warmed, about 3-5 minutes. You can also reheat in the microwave.

What is another name for a Dutch baby? ›

A Dutch baby pancake, sometimes called a German pancake, a Bismarck, a Dutch puff, Hooligan, or a Hootenanny, is a dish that is similar to a large Yorkshire pudding.

Does a Dutch baby have to be made in a cast iron skillet? ›

A Dutch baby is a puffy pancake baked up in sizzling butter in a cast-iron skillet. But you can also bake them in cake pans or a regular oven-safe skillet. Or for savory, individual portions try my Popovers Recipe!

Who invented the Dutch baby? ›

Many credit Seattle's Maca Cafe for adapting the recipe in the early 20th century. Legend has it that when Victor Maca's daughter first saw the German-derived dish, she mispronounced Deutsch (“German”) as “Dutch,” and the Dutch baby was born.

Why does my Dutch baby not puff? ›

If the pancake was a little flat it is most likely that either the oven or the skillet (or other pan) was not hot enough. If the pan isn't hot enough then the liquid does not heat up and create the steam quickly enough and so the flour will cook through and set before the pancake can rise.

Why is my sourdough too dense not rising? ›

Bread too dense? It might be cold dough. One of the most common mistakes is having a dough temperature that's too low for the starter to feed on all the flour in the dough, resulting in a crumb that's dense, with fewer openings. "Starter is happiest and most active at around 75 degrees.

What is the difference between Dutch baby and clafoutis? ›

Rather than a pancake, a clafoutis is more like a flan or a tart. The batter is also thin but uses more eggs and sugar than a Dutch baby and is whisked rapidly until it's fluffy (or you can use a blender hack for the dreamiest clafoutis).

Why is my bread not puffing? ›

Was the dough kneaded properly? Dough may not have been kneaded enough. Kneading 'exercises' the gluten in the bread and gives it the elasticity to hold in the air bubbles produced by the yeast. It is these air bubbles that cause the dough to expand and rise.

Why is my puff puff not fluffy? ›

Too much of water flattens your puff puff. it's good to have a specific amount of water you use for your measurements. To correct this, add mixed dry ingredients into the wet mixture and give it few minutes before frying....

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