Step 1

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F / 230 C.

Step 2

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together flour, buttermilk, eggs, and salt until well-combined.

Step 3

Place butter in a 10-inch cast-iron pan (or other oven-safe pan) and place in the oven. Allow the butter to melt fully. Watch closely as the butter will begin to brown if left in too long. Lightly browned butter is lovely, but you don’t want it to burn.

Step 4

Once the butter is fully melted, remove the pan from the oven and give it a quick swirl to coat. Add the batter to the pan on top of the butter. There will be some separation of butter and batter but do not be tempted to stir this into your batter or your Dutch baby will not bake properly.

Step 5

Sprinkle the top of the Dutch baby batter with the fresh chopped herbs.

Step 6

Return the pan to the oven and bake for 20 minutes. Then lower the heat to 300 degrees F / 150 C and bake for another 5 minutes.

Step 7

Remove the pan from the oven and dress with your desired toppings. I prefer smoked salmon, fresh tomatoes, a dollop of lemon mascarpone, and a sprinkle of fresh herbs, flaky salt, and cracked black pepper (as noted above).

Step 8

In a small bowl, combine the mascarpone, lemon zest, and a generous pinch of Kosher salt using a small whisk or a sturdy spatula. Once combined, reserve to the side until ready to top.*If you choose to substitute cream cheese for the mascarpone, allow to soften at room temp before working with it. Using a hand mixer, beat it with a splash of milk (1-2 tbsp), a pinch of salt, and lemon zest until it takes on a creamy consistency similar to mascarpone.