With a rich moist interior and a delicately crisp exterior, Aebleskivers, Danish Pancake Balls, are a special breakfast treat or snack. Many people say that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. But I think it can also be the most fun.
Especially with special treats like Aeblesksivers or Danish Pancake Balls—a fun recipe I learned to make from my Danish grandmother!
Grandma immigrated here in 1928. After her husband got established, she followed, traveling through Ellis Island with their three small children. She spoke no English, and never saw her parents again. I give her a ton of credit for the courage that must have taken.
Per Wikipedia, Aebleskivers, “are Danish snacks that are spherical in shape. The name literally means “apple slices” in Danish, although apples are not usually an ingredient in present-day versions.”
The recipe is similar to a buttermilk pancake, except the egg white is beaten and folded in separately. Then of course, they are cooked into balls using a special pan. But where pancakes (before syrup) can verge on mealy or bland, Aebleskivers are rich and moist inside and lightly crisp outside. Yum!
Place a seasoned aebleskiver pan over medium heat until water sprinkled in pan sizzles. Brush each cup lightly with some of the remaining butter. Fill each cup approximately 2/3 full with batter. About 30 seconds later, a thin shell forms on the bottom of each pancake ball.
Step by Step Directions
Mix egg yolk, buttermilk and butter. Mix dry ingredients and add to buttermilk mixture.
Beat egg white until stiff, then carefully fold into batter, taking care to retain volume.
Put about 1/2 tablespoon of a solid oil, such as Crisco, in the bottom of each aebleskiver pan cup and heat until hot. Fill each cup level with batter.
As soon as they get bubbly around the edge and golden underneath, turn them so the cooked half-sphere is on top (Danish cooks traditionally used a long knitting needle, but a fondue fork works very well also).
Continue cooking until cooked through, adjusting the heat and turning the ball to keep it from burning. Remove from pan when cooked through. Serve warm with sugar and jam.
In our family everyone is gifted an aebleskiver pan by the time they are old enough to cook. And lucky me, I inherited my grandmother’s pan–so I have two!
Back in the day, all the pans were cast iron and needed to be seasoned. I think my mother spent her whole life worrying she’d damage the seasoning on her mother’s pan (which I think is why she was so happy when I took over making them)! Happily, today’s cast iron pans come pre-seasoned, so they are durable and ready to go right out of the box!
There are also aluminum pans with nonstick coatings but I strongly suggest that you go with cast iron. The nonstick coatings are still environmentally sketchy but more importantly cast iron is a master at achieving a delicately crisp exterior—one of the delights of a good Aebleskiver!
Cast iron pans come in two main styles. One has an extra ring of cast iron around the outside and the other doesn’t. My grandmother’s (below) came without it while my newer pan (in most other pictures) has it. I don’t notice much cooking difference between the two.
Of course there is one more advantage to going with cast iron. Someday you can pass it along to a grandchild too!
In Case of Leftovers
Leftovers are not going to be as glorious as right out of the pan, so this is NOT a dish you want to make in bulk to eat later. But since there are often a few left, I leave them out in the serving bowl and they usually disappear by bedtime. If not, they go into the refrigerator, covered, and are eaten the next day.
My husband did something unusual with the leftovers the other day—he broke them in half topped with butter and microwaved them. Well I’m always happy to see leftovers eaten, even in strange and creative ways!
How To Use an Aebleskiver Pan the correct way
FAQ
What is the best pan to use for pancakes?
Should pancake batter rest in fridge or room temperature?
What is a cast iron Aebleskiver pan used for?
How do you make a pancake batter?
Make the pancake batter: STEP 1: Separate the eggs into egg yolks and egg whites. Make sure there are no egg yolk traces in the egg whites. (3 large eggs) STEP 2: In a large bowl, whisk together egg yolks, sugar, buttermilk, vanilla extract, and lemon zest.
How do you make Danish pancake balls?
With a rich moist interior and a delicately crisp exterior, Aebleskivers, Danish Pancake Balls, are a special breakfast treat or snack. Mix egg yolk, buttermilk and butter. Mix dry ingredients and add to buttermilk mixture. Beat egg white until stiff, then carefully fold into batter, taking care to retain volume.
What should I do if my pancake balls are too pale?
If your pancake balls are too pale, just cook them, rotating them in the indentations from time to time until golden brown in color. (Photo 14) The first batch of pancakes will cook more slowly than the next batches so you may need to lower the heat if your pancakes are cooking too quick or are burning.
What kind of Pan do you use for pancakes?
They have a pancake-like exterior with a lighter, fluffier interior and are often filled with jam. To make them, use the Nordic Ware Ebelskiver Filled-Pancake Pan. And for the batter, you can use a Ebelskiver Pancake Mix or follow a traditional recipe for jam-filled pancakes.