DUTCH BABY PANCAKE WITH BLUEBERRY COMPOTE

The magic of this pancake is how it puffs up in the oven, but you have to be fast and ready to eat it as soon as it’s cooked, because it deflates as it cools. It makes an impressive start to your day and is also a delicious dessert.

SERVES 4 FOR THE BLUEBERRY COMPOTE

H 200g frozen blueberries H 30g caster sugar

H splash of water

FOR THE DUTCH PANCAKES

H 120g plain flour

H 1 tbsp caster sugar

H pinch of fine salt

H 3 large eggs

H 120ml full-fat milk

H ½ vanilla pod, split lengthways and seeds removed, or ½ tsp vanilla bean paste

H 4 tbsp neutral oil, such as sunflower, vegetable or rapeseed

H icing sugar, for dusting

1 Make the blueberry compote. In a saucepan, stir together the blueberries, sugar and water. Cook over a mediumlow heat for 10 minutes or until the blueberries have started to break down. Remove the pan from the heat and leave the compote to cool before using.

2 Make the Dutch pancake batter. In a large bowl, stir together the flour, sugar and salt. Crack the eggs into the middle of the bowl and start whisking them, also bringing in the flour from the edge of the bowl. Gradually add the milk and whisk well to form a smooth batter. Finally, whisk in the vanilla seeds or paste. Cover the bowl with a tea towel and set aside at room temperature for 1 hour.

3 Preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan/ gas 6. Put a 25cm cast-iron skillet or heavy-based frying pan into the oven for 5 minutes to heat. Remove from the oven and pour the oil into the skillet.

Add the batter and quickly return the skillet to the oven. Bake for 18-20 minutes until the pancake is puffy and golden.

4 Remove the pancake from the oven and dust it with icing sugar. Quickly cut into four before it starts to deflate.

5 Serve the pancake straight from the skillet with the blueberry compote. Add greek yogurt if serving for breakfast, or use ice cream, crème fraîche, whipped cream or sweetened mascarpone if it’s for dessert. Eat immediately!