Dutch Baby Pancake with Rhubarb & Orange Cream

Simple pancake batter is transformed into a fancy dessert here, with the tang of blushing rhubarb enhanced by a cloud of orange-scented cream. It’s lovely served family style – that is, carried ceremoniously to the table and served straight from the pan.

15 minutes prep, 50 minutes cook

Serves 6

Ingredients

For the rhubarb:

400g rhubarb, chopped into 5-cm pieces (very thick pieces halved lengthways)

60g caster sugar

2 tbsps orange juice

For the pancake:

1 tbsp vegetable oil

100g plain flour

30g ground almonds

1 tbsp caster sugar

Pinch salt

3 eggs, lightly beaten

300ml whole milk

1 tsp almond extract

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tbsp butter, melted and cooled

1 tbsp icing sugar, for dusting

For the orange cream:

300ml double cream

1 tbsp icing sugar

Finely grated zest 1 orange

Method

Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/gas 6. Place all the ingredients for the rhubarb in a baking dish and toss to coat. Roast for 20 minutes, or until the rhubarb is tender but still holds its shape. Set aside and increase the oven temperature 220°C/Fan 200°C/Gas 7.

To make the pancake, pour the oil into a large non-stick ovenproof frying pan and place inside the oven to heat. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, ground almonds, sugar, and salt. In a jug, whisk together the eggs, milk, almond and vanilla extracts and melted butter. Gradually stir the wet ingredients into the dry, incorporating the flour as you go to make a smooth batter: don’t overbeat as some small lumps are fine.

Working quickly (but carefully!), remove the frying pan from the oven and pour the batter into the hot oil. Return the pan to the oven and bake for 25–30 minutes until puffed, golden, and just cooked through.

While the pancake is cooking, softly whip the cream with the sugar and orange zest. When cooked, spoon the rhubarb into the centre of the pancake and lightly dust with sifted icing sugar. Serve slices of the pancake from the pan, with spoonfuls of the orange cream on top.