A unique looking pan, this cast iron Æbleskiver (pronounced “ay·bluh·skee·vr”) pan helps to make a delicious pancake like Danish dish. Æbleskiver, means “apple slices” in Danish as the filling the traditional filling of choice was apples or apple sauce. The pan works by filling each greased space with batter. If desired, filling is spooned into the batter at this point. Then using a skewer or traditionally, a knitting needle, the batter is turned a quarter turn as it browns. As it turns, the batter flows down and fills in the empty space. After about three turns, a sphere forms. Once browned, the Æbleskiver is done, much like a cross between a donut and pancake. Served with jam and powdered sugar, Æbleskiver is usually a Christmas time dish paired with glogg (mulled wine). Ashley Adamant of the website practicalselfreliance.com/aebleskiver presents this recipe: INGREDIENTS
2 1/4 cups flour 1 tsp vanilla.
1/4 tsp salt 3 large eggs, separated.
1/2 tsp baking soda melted butter for greasing pan.
1 tbsp sugar apples or jam, optional for filling.
1 3/4 cups buttermilk powdered sugar or maple syrup, optional.
1/4 cup butter, melted.
INSTRUCTIONS
- In a large bowl, mix the flour, salt, baking soda and sugar.
- Add in the buttermilk, vanilla and egg yolks (reserving the whites). Mix until just combined. Melt the butter and allow it to cool slightly, then add the butter in and mix.
- Whip the egg whites using a hand mixer until they hold stiff peaks. Fold the egg whites into the batter.
- Place the Æbleskiver pan on the heat and allow it to get quite hot, but not smoking. Use a silicone pasty brush to paint melted butter onto the depressions, and then fill each one about 3/4 full with aebleskiver batter.
- Cook the batter for 1-2 minutes, until it begins to puff. Use a kitchen skewer or knitting needle to stab into each cup and slide the pancakes about 90 degrees spilling a bit of the raw dough into the pastry.
- As soon as you've turned the whole pan 90 degrees, immediately go through and turn them another 90 degrees so that they're fully upside down. Once they've formed a cooked surface all the way around, allow them to cook another minute or two, turning occasionally until they're cooked through.
- Remove from the pan to a plate and repeat until the batter is all cooked.
- If you're using filling, add batter until the cups are about 1/3 full, then add a very small amount of filling and then top with more batter on top of the filling. Proceed with the turning process in the same way.
- Serve topped with powdered sugar, maple syrup or jam.