Aebleskiver (Danish Pancake Balls)

Aebleskiver are delightful little Danish pancake balls made in a special pan with round indents. Eat them warm with jam and a dusting of powdered sugar for a little taste of heaven.

Imagine if a crispy doughnut and a fluffy pancake fell in love and had a bunch of cute little round babies. Those babies would be Aebleskiver, a special Danish treat.

This month for our Eat the World recipe challenge we head to the beautiful country of Denmark. Situated at the northern tip of mainland Europe, it shares a short (42 km) border with Germany and is comprised of a large portion of the Jutland Peninsula and over 400 islands. Denmark is the southernmost country of Scandinavia, sharing much of their culture and history with this Northern European subregion.

The traditional cuisine of Denmark is Nordic and hearty, like that of its Scandinavian neighbours to the north and northern Germany to the south. It consists of meat, fish, dairy, and potatoes, with the seasonal additions of summer fruits and vegetables. Beautiful baking - hearty rye breads and the famous Danish pastries - are an integral part of the culture. In the last 50 years an emerging New Nordic cuisine has arisen in Denmark, showcasing its native ingredients in exciting new dishes combining classic French cooking with innovative modern techniques.

Aebleskiver (also spelled Ebelskiver or Æbleskiver) are a beloved Danish tradition with historical origins. The earliest record of the special pans used to make these treats are from over 300 years ago and were made of hammered copper. The round indents are filled with a light pancake-like batter which is turned while frying to cook in a ball shape. The finished Aebleskiver are slightly crisp on the outside with firm but fluffy insides. Not too sweet, they are finished with a dusting of powdered sugar and eaten with jam. They can even be made savoury and served as a side dish to meals. Aebleskiver (singular = Aebleskive) are enjoyed in Denmark as a snack or dessert year round, but are especially beloved at Christmas time.

The word Aebleskive literally means 'apple slice' in Danish. The original pancakes contained a slice of apple. Nowadays these little pancake balls are more often made without it, but can still also include apple cubes or a myriad of other fillings.

What Will We Need?

Just a few simple ingredients needed to make delectable Aebleskiver. These Danish pancake balls are easy to make with my gluten-free flour blend, too:

• flour - gluten-free or regular
• eggs - you'll separate them and whip the whites separately
• milk - whole dairy milk or any kind of plant milk
• sugar - just a teeny bit
• salt - a pinch
• baking powder
• butter - 2 tablespoons melted
• oil - for frying the Aebleskiver
• powdered sugar (icing sugar/confectioner's sugar) for dusting the finished balls
• jam - for serving
• optional - you can fill the centers of the Aebleskiver with a cube of apple, a dollop of jam, a few chocolate chips, a raspberry or other berries, or even make the pancakes savoury (omit the vanilla and add a cube of cheese or ham to the center)

Plus, you will need a special Aebleskiver pan that has rounded indents. It is traditionally made of cast iron, but can be made of non-stick material, too. Watch for these pans in thrift stores, find them in kitchen stores, or order them online. And you'll need a couple of bamboo skewers or fondue forks (traditionally, a knitting needle was used) to turn the Aebelskiver while cooking them.

If you have a cast iron Aebleskiver pan, you can use it outdoors to make this special dessert over the campfire or on a barbecue. Check out how we did it for one of our famous campfire dinners. It'll elevate your camping experience to gourmet status!

Let's Make Aebleskiver

First, you will need to whip up the simple Aebleskiver batter. Whisk together the egg yolks and wet ingredients. Stir in the flour and baking powder. Whip the egg whites and fold them in.

Now you'll need to heat up the Aebleskiver pan, add a bit of oil or butter to each indent, and then spoon in enough batter to generously fill each hole.

How to Flip Aebleskiver

This part can be a little tricky until you get the hang of it, but once you've practiced on a few Aebleskiver, you'll feel like a real pro and realize how simple it is. Just be confident! As soon as you can see that the pancakes are browning around the top edges, they are ready to flip (the batter in the middle will still be wet). Poke a skewer into the top edge of an Aebleskive and pull it up, using the second skewer to guide the other side of the dough ball. Pull it up and flip it right over back into the hole, allowing the batter to flow into the bottom half of the indent. Tuck in any edges of dough that are sticking out of the ball's edge. And done!

To finish frying the Aebleskiver and make sure they are fully cooked, turn them several times, allowing any lighter-coloured or uncooked edges to be positioned at the bottom of the wells. They will take 6 - 8 minutes in total cooking time.

Remove the Aebleskiver from the pan with a skewer and dust them with powdered sugar.

Enjoy them with your favourite jam while they are still warm.

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Guten Appetit!