Dutch Baby with Caramelized Pears and Mascarpone

Ingredients

Instructions

1. 1

   PREHEAT THE SKILLET (critical for the puff): Place a 10-inch cast iron skillet in the oven and preheat to 425°F (220°C). The skillet needs at least 20 minutes to get properly hot - this is what makes the dutch baby puff dramatically. Start preheating before you prep anything else. TEST IF IT'S HOT ENOUGH: After 20 minutes, the handle will be extremely hot (use oven mitts!) and if you flick a drop of water into the pan, it should sizzle and evaporate instantly.

2. 2

   CARAMELIZE THE PEARS (while oven preheats): Melt 2 tbsp butter in a separate skillet over medium heat. Add pear slices in a single layer - don't crowd them or they'll steam instead of caramelize. Cook undisturbed for 2-3 minutes until the undersides are golden. Sprinkle brown sugar and cinnamon over the pears, then gently flip. Cook another 2-3 minutes until the pears are golden on both sides, tender when pierced with a fork, and the sugar has melted into a caramel sauce. Remove from heat and set aside - they'll stay warm.

3. 3

   MAKE THE BATTER (must be smooth): Add flour, eggs, milk, 2 tbsp melted (but not hot) butter, and vanilla to a blender. Blend on high for 30 seconds until completely smooth with no lumps. The batter should be thin - like heavy cream. Let it rest 5 minutes while the skillet finishes heating. Don't worry if the eggs and milk were cold - the hot pan does the work.

4. 4

   POUR THE BATTER (work quickly!): Carefully remove the screaming-hot skillet from the oven using heavy oven mitts. Add the remaining 2 tbsp butter - it will immediately sizzle and melt. Swirl to coat the bottom and sides. IMMEDIATELY pour the batter into the center of the pan in one smooth motion. Don't stir or spread it. Return to the oven right away - every second the pan cools, you lose puffing potential.

5. 5

   BAKE: Bake 20-25 minutes without opening the oven door (peeking lets heat escape and can cause collapse). The dutch baby is done when it's puffed dramatically up the sides (like a bowl), deep golden brown on top, and the center is set (not wet or jiggly). It will deflate slightly as it cools - this is normal and expected. The edges should be crispy and the center custardy.

6. 6

   TOP AND SERVE IMMEDIATELY: Spoon the caramelized pears and any caramel sauce into the center of the dutch baby. Add 4-5 small dollops of mascarpone around the pears. Drizzle honey over everything. Bring the skillet to the table (on a trivet - it's still hot!) and serve immediately while puffed. Cut into wedges. The combination of crispy edges, custardy center, sweet pears, and creamy mascarpone is what makes this special.