The Aebleskiver (pronounced “able skeever”) pan long intrigued me before I finally got one to try this year. The unique heavy six-sided cast iron pan with its seven baking wells made me want to try to use it. Aebleskiver is a Danish word that literally means “apple slices.” The pan produces small, rounded pancakes.

For my first attempt at making Aebleskiver, I decided to stick to the traditional apple filling. I chose to make the batter using baking soda and baking powder with beaten egg whites; other recipes are available that use yeast, but I preferred the airiness of this recipe. I added both cinnamon and cardamom which complimented the apples.

A can of fried apples from Aldi, a local grocery store with German origins, was a perfect source for the apples to add to the center of each Aebleskiver. Chopping the apple slices into thirds provided the perfect size to put in the middle of the Aebleskiver, There are other recipes that use either apple pie filling or applesauce.

To fry the Aebleskiver, preheat the pan about four minutes before adding a ¼ teaspoon of melted butter in each well and brushing it to the top of the wells. The butter will sizzle if the pan is hot enough. Spoon batter into the wells, filling halfway, then add the apple piece and cover with a bit more batter. Totally covering the apple is not needed since batter will run out and cover it as you turn the Aebleskiver. Once the batter starts to pull away from the side of the well, you can test it by seeing if the Aebleskiver moves easily in the well, Then it's time to turn! If the bottom is getting too brown too soon, adjust your heat.

To turn the Aebleskiver after the bottom has cooked, Danish cooks traditionally used knitting needles. I found some no. 3, short, double-pointed knitting needles at Grace Place, a local resale store, that worked perfectly. If you don’t have knitting needles available, you could also use wooden skewers or even toothpicks. Methods of turning the Aebleskiver vary. Some people ease the pancake only a 90 degree turn while others turn it 180 degees. By continuing to move the Aebleskiver around as it finished frying, I found you could obtain a rounder Aebleskiver.

Once the Aebleskiver are golden brown, you can remove them from the pan and keep them warm in a baking pan in a 200 degree oven. Aebleskiver are dusted with powdered sugar and traditionally eaten after dipping them in maple syrup, honey and/or more powdered sugar.

My recipe for Aebleskiver follows along with step-by-step pictures.

Aebleskiver Recipe

Ingredients:

• 3 eggs separated
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 cups milk
• 2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon soda
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon cardamom
• 1 can Aldi brand fried apples or 1 can apple pie filling

Directions:

Step 1: Beat egg yolks in a bowl until light and lemon colored. Add sugar, salt and milk; mix well on low speed.

Step 2: Sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and cardamom.

Step 3: Make a well in the flour mixture and pour in the egg mixture. Mix until just blended (do NOT over mix.)

Step 4: In a separate bowl, beat egg whites until stiff. Fold the egg whites into the batter with a spatula. Set aside.

Step 5: If using the fried apples, drain the liquid and cut the slices into thirds. If using pie filling with slices, cut those slices into thirds as well. If the pie filling is chunky, you’ll need to use an equivalent size. (The apple needs to fit in the well with batter all around it.)

Step 6: Heat the Aebleskiver pan over a medium heat.

Step 7: Melt ⅓ cup butter in a small bowl.

Step 8: Measure ¼ teaspoon of melted butter into each of the wells of the pan. Brush the butter up the sides of the well.

Step 9: Fill each well about half way; add the piece of apple; then top with more batter.

Step 10: When the batter seems to be pulling away a bit from the side of the well, use knitting needles (no.3 works well) or use wood skewers to turn the Aebleskivers. (See pictures.) They should move easily if they are ready to turn. continue to turn the Aebleskiver until they are golden brown. You may notice that your stove is hotter in certain places. If the Aebleskiver get dark too soon, adjust your heat.

Step 11: Keep finished Aebleskiver in a pan in a 200 degree oven while you make the rest.

Step 12: Sift powdered sugar over the Aebelskivers and serve with options of honey, maple syrup, and additional powdered sugar for diners to dip their Aebleskiver into.

Check out the step-by-step pictures for making Aebleskiver below!

1. The Aebleskiver pan

2. Make a well in the combined dry ingredients, and add the combined wet ingredients,

3. Whisk the batter ingredients together.

4. Preheat the pan for about four minutes over medium heat.

5. Whip egg whites until foamy.

6. Fold beaten egg whites into the batter.

7. Add 1/4 teaspoon melted butter to each well of the pan.

8. Brush the butter in the wells, covering the entire wells.

9. Spoon batter into the wells, filling halfway.

10. Add apple pieces.

11. Cover the apple by spooning more batter over each well.

12. The batter will pull away from the edges and move freely when ready to turn.

13. Turn the Aebleskiver using knitting needles or wood skewers.

14. Heat may vary on your stove, causing some Aebleskiver to get done sooner.

15. Sift powdered sugar over the Aebleskiver and serve with additional powdered sugar, honey or maple syrup.

Only your creativity limits the variations you can make. Jams, applesauce, blueberries, cream cheese, orange cream, chocolate peanut butter, cherry pie filling, chocolate raspberry, banana and lemon curd are just some of the possibilities. Chocolate and red velvet batters can be used as well. Savory Aebleskiver recipes such as potato, onion, bacon and cheese and even chicken are other ideas to use in your pan.

The Danish culture is not the only culture to make small rounded pancake puffs. Japan makes takoyaki which is a savory wheat flour puff filled with seafood and soy sauce . The Dutch have poffertjes which use a yeast leavening and buckwheat flour.The Indonesian Pinch Cake, Kue Cubit, have no whipped egg whites. The Indian Paddu is made from rice and lentils instead of flour and is dipped in a sauce made of yogurt, onions and herbs. With all those possibilities, the only problem is to decide what to try next!