Bismarcks

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Close up of baked bismarck oven crepe with proscuitto and swiss
If you were around in the 1980s and 90s and old enough to cook, you probably had a copy of The Silver Palate Cookbook on your bookshelf. Julee Rosso and Sheila Lukins gave us one of the best cookbooks ever, with a bounty of recipes from their famous Manhattan gourmet food shop. I’ve always collected cookbooks, and read them like books. The Silver Palate is one of those books that I go to again and again. I can’t remember for sure, but it was probably my friend Amy who turned me on to The Silver Palate Cookbook to begin with, and it was definitely Amy who turned me on to this recipe for Bismarcks, which she made for brunch on one of our trips to visit for a weekend. Bismarcks are what I would describe as a baked crepe, with an open palate to top however you like. The way the original recipe is written, I think it’s intended to be a sweet brunch recipe, much like a Dutch Baby if you’ve ever made one or ordered one from a pancake house. But Amy made one that was savory and topped it with Everything Bagel seasoning, and it was so incredibly good that it’s become my go-to whenever I’m serving brunch. The biggest modification I make is reducing the quantity of butter that the original recipe calls for. I love butter, but I don’t like my breakfast nor my baked goods swimming in it. So I’ve cut the butter down from a full stick to 3 tablespoons, and I find it to be more than enough. Feel free to tweak that, though. Make this in a shallow rectangular baking pan, taking care not to scratch the pan when you cut it into squares after baking (been there, done that!)
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Close up of baked bismarck oven crepe with proscuitto and swiss

Bismarcks


  • Author: Yael
  • Total Time: 27 minutes
  • Yield: 12 servings

Description

I love topping my Bismarcks with prosciutto and shredded Swiss cheese, and topping them off with a sprinkle of Everything Bagel seasoning, but you can honestly top yours with whatever you like. The original recipe calls for melted butter and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice as the only toppings. Fruit and jam would work really well for a sweet version, with a dusting of powdered sugar. See notes below for other variations. Have fun with it!


Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 1/2 cup whole milk
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 2 eggs
  • 4 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto
  • 6 ounces shredded Swiss cheese
  • 1 tablespoon Everything Bagel Seasoning

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°. Spray a shallow rectangular baking dish with butter flavored cooking spray, or dab some softened butter on a paper towel to grease the dish. Add the 3 tablespoons of butter to the dish and place into the oven.
  2. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, mix the milk, flour and eggs with a fork or a whisk to make a batter.
  3. Once the butter in the baking dish has melted, add the batter to the pan. For this savory version, tear thin slices of prosciutto into pieces (they don’t have to lie flat) and scatter them all over the batter’s surface. Sprinkle the shredded Swiss evenly across the whole Bismarck. Sprinkle Everything Bagel seasoning evenly across the top, adding more to taste if you like.
  4. Bake for about 12 minutes. When the batter seems cooked and looks the consistency of a crepe, remove it from the oven.
  5. Cut into 12 squares and serve warm.

Notes

Note:  I’ve had some trouble finding shredded Swiss, but I’ve been able to find it at Trader Joe’s.

For other variations:  Sautéed mushrooms topped with shredded Swiss, fruit jam or preserves topped with fresh fruit and confectioner’s sugar, cooked bacon with shredded cheddar, brown sugar or maple syrup, fresh lemon juice dusted with confectioner’s sugar, a sprinkle of Grand Marnier

Recommended tools & equipment: Ceramic rectangular 9 x 13″ baking dish, whisk.

  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 12 minutes
  • Category: Breakfast, brunch
  • Cuisine: French
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