Sophia Roe Just Shared the Pear-fect Dutch Baby for a Cozy Weekend Morning

TV chef Sophia Roe is known for sharing simple, but beautifully constructed dishes on her Instagram, from fruity summertime sorbets to espresso scones for winter coffee breaks. Last time we talked with the James Beard Award winner, she gave us the recipe for her delicious looking pear-whisky cocktail. This time around, the fruit is starring in a comforting skillet pancake that we can’t wait to make.

The cozy Dutch baby pancake Roe shared is topped with pear slices flambeed in a luscious coconut caramel sauce. Plus, she shared tips for making the best oven pancake possible—here’s how to make it.

According to Roe, there are three steps you need to follow for the optimal Dutch baby:

1. Use room temperature ingredients. She said, “This is CRUCIAL,” since a cold batter won’t rise as easily as one at room temperature.
2. Use bread flour. “The higher protein content in bread flour ensures that your Dutch baby will have enough structure, so as to not shrink,” Roe wrote in the Instagram caption.
3. Use a preheated skillet. That way, the batter begins to cook immediately after hitting the pan, and your pancake rises with a crispier crust.

With these tips and an empty stomach, you’re ready to get baking!

How to Make Sophia Roe’s Dutch Baby Pancake

Here are the ingredients you’ll need to make Sophia Roe’s Dutch Baby recipe:

• 4 large eggs
• ½ cup bread flour or all-purpose flour
• ½ cup whole milk (or any milk alternative)
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons butter (salted or unsalted)

Start by preheating your oven and skillet to 425°F. Any oven-proof, heavy-bottomed 10-inch skillet will work. While the equipment heats up, whisk room temperature eggs, bread flour, milk and brown sugar together in a bowl until combined. Once preheated, carefully slide the oven rack out and add the butter to the skillet so it melts. Pour your batter into the pan over the fully melted butter. The batter should sizzle and start cooking right away. Bake the pancake until it is puffed and golden-brown, about 17-20 minutes. Then, reduce the heat to 350°F and bake for 5-6 additional minutes. 

At this point, you’re ready to remove your fresh, puffy Dutch baby from the oven and top it with your favorite “frills,” as Roe called them. In her reel, she cooked pear slices down in coconut sugar and butter on her cooktop. Then, Roe poured some rum in the pan and flambéed the pears, continuing to cook them until caramelized. Lastly, she topped the Dutch baby with her golden-brown cooked pears, a dusting of confectioners’ sugar and freshly grated nutmeg to finish off the breakfast dish of your dreams.

Dutch babies like Roe’s make for a fluffy, delicious and customizable morning meal. Roe unfortunately did not provide an exact recipe for the pears, but we luckily have our own healthy version of Caramelized Spiced Pears you’re sure to love. If you don’t have pears on hand, you can easily switch them for apples like in our whole-wheat Apple Dutch Baby Pancake. Or make breakfast more filling with high-protein versions like our egg-topped Savory Dutch Baby with Arugula & Parmesan.