Pumpkin Dutch Baby with Pumpkin Butter

This isn’t your typical super-puffed Dutch baby; instead, it’s creamy and custardy on the inside and airy around the edges, thanks to the inclusion of a bit of canned pumpkin purée. The rest of the can gets cooked down on the stove into a dark, concentrated pumpkin butter, sweetened with apple cider, maple and cinnamon. If there are extras after you spoon this butter over each slice, save it for toast, ice cream, or eating straight with a spoon.

3 large eggs, room temperature
1 (15 oz) can pumpkin purée, divided
1 cup milk, room temperature
3 Tbsp. butter, room temperature, divided
1 cup all-purpose flour, unbleached
1½ tsp. ground cinnamon, divided
¼ tsp. ground allspice
¼ tsp. ground ginger
¼ tsp. ground nutmeg
sea salt
½ cup apple cider or juice
3 Tbsp. pure maple syrup

Garnish:
confectioners' sugar

Place an 8" ovenproof skillet or cast-iron pan in the oven and preheat to 425°F (220°C/200°C fan, Gas Mark 7).

Once the oven reaches temperature, blend the eggs in a blender until well combined and frothy, about 1 minute. Add ¼ cup of the pumpkin purée, then milk and then 1 Tbsp. of the butter, blending for 30 seconds after each addition. Add the flour, cinnamon, allspice, ginger, nutmeg and sea salt in one addition. Blend again until combined and frothy, about 1 minute (scraping down the sides of the blender if necessary).

Pull the hot pan from the oven and add the remaining 2 Tbsp. butter, swirling the pan so it melts evenly across the bottom (it will bubble and brown). Once the butter is melted, immediately pour in the Dutch baby batter and return to the oven. Bake until golden brown and slightly puffed, about 20 minutes.

While the Dutch baby bakes, combine the apple cider, maple syrup, the remaining ½ tsp. cinnamon, a pinch of salt and the rest of the can of pumpkin purée (about 1¼ cups) in a small saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat until the mixture starts to bubble, then reduce to medium and cook, stirring frequently and scraping down the sides of the pot with a spatula, until dark and thickened with no raw pumpkin flavour remaining, 20-25 minutes.

Slice the Dutch baby (it will start to sink as soon as you take it out of the oven) and serve with the pumpkin butter and confectioners' sugar.

Makes 4-6 servings.