The "so Easy a Man Can Do It" Self Rising German Pancake

Brunch is a meal dedicated to women.  You can argue if you want, but it's true.  Men never make plans to have brunch with their man friends.  Men don't do brunch with their family.  In fact, the only time you'll catch a man at brunch is when in the company of a person he's interested in.  There I said it.

That said, this one is so easy, even the most kitchen inept man can make it - and its so impressive and delicious, it may actually help you score a few culinary genius points (which make for a great barter), as long as 1) no one knows how easy this is, and 2) you use a few culinary terms, which I will insert into this instructable.  

This main components of this recipe are (shockingly) from a men's fashion magazine, which by default means you need to be wearing a dapper outfit during this undertaking.  Remember, you're going for culinary genius points, but fashion points are also acceptable.

Step 1: Ingredients

First, gather the ingredients:

1. 1/2 Cup All Purpose Flour
2.  1/2 Cup Milk
3.  3 Tablespoons butter
4.  2 eggs
5.  1/4 teaspoon salt
6.  1 teaspoon sugar

That's it.  6 Ingredients.  I told you this was easy.

Culinary Genius unspoken conversation point: Use organic ingredients, they speak for you and say, "We are superior to regular ingredients, we're healthy, and the person using us obviously recycles, loves plants and animals, and conserves energy" which would sound like a lie if you said it, and which probably is a lie because no one actually shuts the water off the entire time they brush their teeth.

Step 2: Initial Preparations

initial preparations:

You're going to need an oven-proof skillet, but can probably make do with a cake pan if you have to. 

1.  Heat the oven to 425 degrees.  
2.  Put the 3 tablespoons of butter into the pan and place it in the oven for a couple minutes until it just finishes melting.  

Don't leave the melted butter in the oven or it will burn, and your status as a cullinary genius will, well, go up in smoke. 

Step 3: Ingredient Mixing

With the butter melting in the pan (which you should have in the pre-heating oven) whisk up the following:

1.  2 eggs - Whisk these up first for about 2 minutes.  They should have a little bit of air incorporated into them.

Then add (don't say add, say incorporate):

2.  1/2 cup flour
3.  1/2 cup milk
4.  1/4 teaspoon salt
5.  1 teaspoon sugar

Tips:  Use a whisk to mix the above ingredients.  Stop mixing as soon as all the batter looks smooth (see photo).

Culinary genius conversation point (I have underlined the culinary terms):  This is a good time to mention that the french use copper bowels when whisking egg whites for meringue because the copper ions keep the eggs whites from denaturing (un-fluffing)

Step 4: Baking

Now to the oven:

1.  Take out pan with the melted butter.  Be careful, the pan is hot.  
2.  Poor the batter into the buttered pan and place the pan back into the 425 degree oven.
3.  Bake for 15 minutes.

Keep an eye on the pancake during the baking process as it will go from perfection to burned in a short amount of time.  I usually set the timer for 10 minutes, check it, then add 4 minutes, then check it, then watch it for the last couple minutes to make sure it doesn't ruin my carefully cultivated culinary reputation...

Culinary Genius conversation point:  The reason this pancake rises without any additional leavening (baking soda), is due to:
1) the beaten eggs, which by whisking, incorporated air and increased their volume 2) the wet ingredients evaporating in a relatively high temperature oven and 3) the glutton in the flour acting in tandem with evaporating wet ingredients (steam).  

Step 5: Remove and Revel

Last step:
remove the pancake from the oven, graciously accept praise and amiration, move pancake from skillet to a serving plate using a spatula, and enjoy with maple syrup, orange juice, and the company of the only person you would actually agree to have brunch with.

Culinary Genius presentation point:  If going for shock and awe, use a small amount of whip cream and some crushed strawberries, which you should call a strawberry compote.  

Enjoy your brunch!