Serves 4
Time: 30 minutes
- 5 tablespoons butter, divided
- ⅔ cup whole milk
- ⅔ cup all-purpose flour
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ¾ cup blackberries, fresh or frozen and slightly defrosted
Garnishes (optional):
- 2 tablespoons icing sugar
- ½ to 1 cup whipped cream
- 20 fresh blackberries
- Blackberry syrup (recipe below, make in advance)
Place an oven rack in the middle position and preheat oven to 450°F.
Melt 2 tablespoons of butter and add to a blender with milk, flour, eggs, 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, vanilla extract and salt. Blend until smooth, about 1 minute, then set aside while preparing the pan.
Place remaining 3 tablespoons of butter into a 9- or 10-inch cast-iron skillet. Place skillet into preheated oven until butter is melted and bubbling and skillet is hot. Carefully remove the hot pan from oven. Pour berries into the skillet, then pour batter over berries. Do not stir. Quickly return pan to the oven and bake for about 15 minutes, until pancake is puffed and golden.
Remove skillet from oven; the pancake will fall. Dust with icing sugar, then cut and serve immediately, topped with whipped cream, blackberries and blackberry syrup.
Blackberry Syrup
Time: 40 minutes
Makes about 1 cup
- 3½ cups blackberries, fresh or frozen
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 2 tablespoons water
In a large heavy-bottomed pot with a lid over medium-high heat, combine blackberries, sugar, lemon juice and water. Stir frequently, mashing berries with a potato masher or the back of a spoon, until mixture reaches a gentle boil. Reduce heat to low. Cover and cook for 30 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes.
Place a fine-mesh sieve over a medium bowl and strain the mixture, mashing berries in the sieve to release their juices. Scrape underside of sieve to remove any stuck syrup. Discard pulp. Serve the syrup warm or refrigerate for up to 2 weeks. Syrup will thicken as it cools.