Tips for making Dutch baby pancakes
• Use milk, eggs and butter at room temperature.
• Use a 10-inch cast iron skillet or a pie pan or other ovenproof skillet.
• Preheat the heavy skillet so it's ready to go as soon as the batter hits the pan. A cold pan, especially something made of cast iron, takes too long to heat up while you're trying to cook the pancake.
• Give the oven a good half-hour to heat up and in the meantime allow the batter to rest before the baking begins.
• No need for a blender to mix the ingredients. A wooden spoon and a large bowl work fine.
• Double the amounts of flour and milk and add an egg for a heartier pancake that will serve three.
• Make it ahead of time for the puffiest, tallest pancake of all: Place batter in an airtight container and refrigerate overnight (or up to three days), removing from the fridge while the oven preheats for baking. (Thanks to J. Kenji López-Alt, author of "The Food Lab," for this tip.)
• The maximum puff of the pancake is ephemeral, and it begins to deflate seconds after it's out of the oven. Be sure to call over to the oven anyone you're brunching with so they can get the full effect of the Dutch baby's grandeur.
