Strawberry Dutch Baby with Fresh Strawberry Rum Syrup

The strawberries are finally ripe here! So Monday afternoon a friend and I made the two hour drive to Knapp?s Farm, where the strawberry plants were so loaded with fruit they drooped to the ground. In no time we had picked 30 pounds of plump, juicy berries.

So what does one do with that many strawberries besides make jam? I have no idea, but I?m having fun finding out! It seemed like Dutch Babies and Strawberry Rum Syrup would be a great way to start.

Strawberry Dutch Baby
2 eggs, at room temperature
½ cup milk
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup all purpose flour
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
Powdered sugar
1 cup sliced strawberries
Strawberry Rum Syrup (Recipe below, make syrup before starting Dutch Baby)

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
2. Beat together the eggs, milk & salt. Then beat the flour into the mixture until smooth.
3. In a 9 to 10 inch skillet melt the butter over medium heat on the stovetop. Pour in the mixture and cook for exactly 1 minute.
4. Place the skillet in the oven and immediately turn the oven down to 350 degrees.
5. Bake until puffed over the edges and nicely browned; about 15 minutes.
6. Remove from the oven and top with strawberries, powdered sugar, & strawberry syrup. Slide onto a plate, cut in half, and move half to another plate. Serve immediately.

Serves 2

Fresh Strawberry Rum Syrup

This stuff is so good I drizzled it over my cereal this morning. It would be great with ice-cream too.

½ cup water
½ cup granulated sugar
2 cups strawberries
Zest of 1 lemon
2 Tablespoons white or dark rum
Small pinch of salt

1. Clean, hull, and puree strawberries in a food processor. Set aside.
2. In a medium sized sauce pan over medium high heat boil the water and sugar until clear.
3. Add the pureed strawberries, lemon zest, rum & salt. Bring to a boil and then lower the temperature until the mixture is at a high simmer. Cook for 15 minutes stirring occasionally. Syrup will thicken more as it cools.
4. Cool slightly and serve warm over pancakes. Cover leftover syrup and store in the refrigerator.

Makes about 1 ½ cups

Notes: Knapp?s Farm is located in the Green Bluff Growers Community just north of Spokane, Washington. The web site can be found at http://www.greenbluffgrowers.com/.

Recipes by Laura Flowers