Æbleskiver

About This Recipe

Æbleskiver (literally 'apple slices') are one of Denmark's most endearing culinary traditions — puffy, perfectly spherical pancakes made in a cast-iron pan with seven hemispherical hollows. The batter is poured into the hot, buttered wells, and as each ball begins to set around the edges, it is rotated 90 degrees with a knitting needle or skewer, building up layers of cooked batter until a perfect golden sphere forms. The result is crisp on the outside, airy and custardy within. Traditionally eaten at Christmas (Jul) markets and around Advent, they are served dusted with icing sugar and accompanied by raspberry jam and mulled wine (gløgg). Today they are enjoyed year-round at home and at street markets across Denmark.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 250 gplain flour
• 2 teaspoonsbaking powder
• 2 tablespoonscaster sugar
• ½ teaspoonsalt
• ½ teaspoonground cardamom
• 3 largeeggs(yolks and whites separated)
• 350 mlbuttermilk
• 50 gunsalted butter(melted, plus extra for the pan)
• icing sugarto serve
• raspberry jamto serve

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the batter

   Whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar, salt and cardamom in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, buttermilk and melted butter. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and whisk until just combined — a few small lumps are fine. Do not over-mix.

2. 2

   Whip the egg whites

   In a clean, grease-free bowl, whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks. Gently fold one-third of the whites into the batter to loosen it, then fold in the remaining whites with a light hand, preserving as much volume as possible. The batter should be airy and light.

3. 3

   Heat the æbleskiver pan

   Place the æbleskiver pan over medium heat. Add a small knob of butter to each hollow and let it melt and sizzle. The pan is at the right temperature when a drop of batter sizzles immediately on contact.

4. 4

   Fill the hollows

   Pour batter into each hollow until it reaches just below the rim. Cook undisturbed for about 1 minute until the edges begin to set and the bottom is lightly golden.

5. 5

   Rotate to form spheres

   Using a knitting needle, bamboo skewer or the tip of a small sharp knife, rotate each æbleskiver 90 degrees — the uncooked batter will spill over the cooked shell and form a new layer. Continue rotating every 30–45 seconds, building up the sphere, until the æbleskiver are perfectly round and golden all over, about 4–5 minutes total. They should feel light and hollow when done.

6. 6

   Serve

   Tip the finished æbleskiver onto a warm plate. Dust generously with icing sugar and serve immediately with raspberry jam alongside for dipping. They are best eaten hot, so cook in batches and keep warm in a low oven.

Variations

• •

  Press a small cube of marzipan or a teaspoon of jam into the centre of each æbleskiver just after filling for a surprise filling.

• •

  Add a teaspoon of vanilla extract and the zest of one orange to the batter for a richer flavour.

• •

  Vegetarian: swap the protein for roasted king oyster mushrooms, smoked tofu or cooked chickpeas — adjust seasoning slightly upward to compensate.

• •

  Spicier: add a finely chopped fresh chile or a teaspoon of crushed Aleppo/Urfa pepper to the aromatics for warm, layered heat instead of a single sharp hit.

Storage

Æbleskiver are best eaten immediately. Leftovers can be reheated in a low oven (160°C) for 5 minutes.

Frequently Asked Questions