Who Wants Some Ebelskivers?
Over 10 years ago I read a newspaper article by Kathryn Rem, in the State Journal-Register (of Conneticut). I was researching ebelskivers and her information was thorough and inspiring. I gave ‘em a try and have been a fan ever since.
Not quite a doughnut and not quite a popover, an ebelskiver (pronounced “able-skeever”) is a light, puffy, filled pancake cooked in a special pan on the stovetop. It’s the ideal way to prepare homemade pastries without having to use your oven.
“It’s not a heavy pancake. It’s airy and can be filled with just about anything,” says Camilla V. Saulsbury, author of 150 BEST EBELSKIVER RECIPES (Robert Rose, 2013). Sweet ebelskivers can be served as a dessert or breakfast pastry, while savory types can be appetizers or meal accompaniments.
They originated in Denmark and are a common food in the United States wherever you find sizable Scandinavian populations (Minnesota and North Dakota, for instance).
But the Danes don’t have the market on this concept. In Japan, the takoyaki pan is used to make takoyaki, puffed pancake balls stuffed with octopus. In India, the paniyaram pan turns out puffed rice flour breads called kuzhi paniyaram. Hong Kong egg cakes are made with a similar pan in China, and in Thailand, the cooking method is used to make the street food snack kanom krok.
Back to my point, though: A metal ebelskiver pan has a long handle and seven deep wells to hold the batter. Thanks to a publicity campaign by kitchenware retailer Williams-Sonoma, the pans have gained popularity in recent years. The pans can also be found at Bed, Bath & Beyond, Target, Walmart, housewares stores and online at Amazon.com.
Saulsbury, a Nacogdoches, Texas, mom and fitness instructor, made about 3,000 batches of ebelskivers while developing recipes for her book. “You know you sometimes have to throw away the first crepe? Well, ebelskiver-making is the same. Don’t worry if the cups overflow or the balls get too brown. Just make two or three to get the hang of it. It looks harder to do than it is,” she said.
The author uses a small, 1 1/2-tablespoon spring-loaded ice cream scoop to get the batter into the pan wells. After cooking for a few minutes, the puffs need to be flipped, so have wooden skewers, chopsticks or knitting needles handy.
Ebelskivers – made with a batter lightened with whipped egg whites – can be filled with fruit compote, jam, nuts, cream cheese, dried fruit, chopped vegetables or other mixtures. Or they can be made without fillings and simply dipped in maple syrup or jam.
“They’re really pretty simple,” Saulsbury said. “Kids love to make and eat them. While it’s a great way to get a little sweet without turning on the oven, the big draw is how tasty and pretty they are.”
If anyone ever asks, “Who wants some ebelskivers?” be sure to holler ME, ME!! You’ll be glad you did!
Finally, I’ll close with a scrumptious recipe for authentic ebelskivers. This comes to us from Kimberly of www.daringgourmet.com. I can’t thank her enough for sharing this deliciousness!
Authentic Ebelskivers
2 cups all-purpose flour sifted (not necessary but will produce the fluffiest results)
1 tablespoon sugar
zest of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste, or 1 vanilla pod scraped
1 3/4 cups buttermilk (recommended for the best flavor; alternatively use milk with 1 1/2 tablespoons white vinegar stirred in and left to sit for 5-10 minutes)
4 tablespoons butter melted and let cool a few minutes
3 large eggs yolks and whites separated
Directions:
1. Get the pan heating over medium-low to medium heat.
2. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, baking soda, cardamom and salt. Add the egg yolks, lemon zest, vanilla, and buttermilk and mix until smooth. Add the melted butter (not super hot) and mix until combined.
3. In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold the egg whites into the batter. Gently break up any large lumps but it's fine if a few small ones remain.
4. Place a little butter into each of the hollows of the pan. Butter produces the best flavor but you can use oil instead.
5. Once hot pour the batter into each well, filling them nearly full. Let the batter cook until it begins to bubble around the edges. Use a wooden or metal skewer (the traditional tool is a knitting needle) to push against the side of each well and gently turn each aebleskive 90 degrees. As you do this the batter will spill into the bottom of the well.
6. Once the batter begins to bubble around the edges, give it another 90 degree turn. Repeat this step again, giving the aebleksiver another turn.
7. At this point you can then finish the aebleskiver with one final turn or you can first "top off" the aebleskiver by piping or spooning a little extra batter into the center before making the final turn. This will ensure that the very bottom of the ball is sealed.
8. Give the aeblekisver the final turn to complete the full sphere. If your aebleskiver are not quite as browned as you like, you can continue to rotate them until they're browned to your liking.
9. Serve the aebleskiver immediately while they're hot. Place them in a bowl at the table, letting guests help themselves. To serve them like the Danish, each guest should have a small mound of powdered sugar and jam on their plates with more at the table for refills. The aebleskiver are eaten with your fingers, first dipped in the jam followed by the powdered sugar (the jam helps it to adhere).
NOTES:
When you attempt to turn the aebleskiver, it should slide very easily. If it doesnít slide easily itís either not yet cooked enough, the pan isnít seasoned enough (if youíre using cast iron),or there isnít enough grease in it. Additionally, thereís often something about the first round that never goes quite as well as all the subsequent rounds. Once you have that initial ìfilmî built up from the first round, it all goes smoothly from there.
2. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, baking soda, cardamom and salt. Add the egg yolks, lemon zest, vanilla, and buttermilk and mix until smooth. Add the melted butter (not super hot) and mix until combined.
3. In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold the egg whites into the batter. Gently break up any large lumps but it's fine if a few small ones remain.
4. Place a little butter into each of the hollows of the pan. Butter produces the best flavor but you can use oil instead.
5. Once hot pour the batter into each well, filling them nearly full. Let the batter cook until it begins to bubble around the edges. Use a wooden or metal skewer (the traditional tool is a knitting needle) to push against the side of each well and gently turn each aebleskive 90 degrees. As you do this the batter will spill into the bottom of the well.
6. Once the batter begins to bubble around the edges, give it another 90 degree turn. Repeat this step again, giving the aebleksiver another turn.
7. At this point you can then finish the aebleskiver with one final turn or you can first "top off" the aebleskiver by piping or spooning a little extra batter into the center before making the final turn. This will ensure that the very bottom of the ball is sealed.
8. Give the aeblekisver the final turn to complete the full sphere. If your aebleskiver are not quite as browned as you like, you can continue to rotate them until they're browned to your liking.
9. Serve the aebleskiver immediately while they're hot. Place them in a bowl at the table, letting guests help themselves. To serve them like the Danish, each guest should have a small mound of powdered sugar and jam on their plates with more at the table for refills. The aebleskiver are eaten with your fingers, first dipped in the jam followed by the powdered sugar (the jam helps it to adhere).
NOTES:
When you attempt to turn the aebleskiver, it should slide very easily. If it doesnít slide easily itís either not yet cooked enough, the pan isnít seasoned enough (if youíre using cast iron),or there isnít enough grease in it. Additionally, thereís often something about the first round that never goes quite as well as all the subsequent rounds. Once you have that initial ìfilmî built up from the first round, it all goes smoothly from there.
Recipe formatted with the Cook'n Recipe Software from DVO Enterprises.
Alice Osborne
DVO Newsletter Contributor since 2006
Email the author! alice@dvo.com
Sources:
- www.100daysofrealfood.com
- www.amazon.com
- www.rockymountainlodge.com
- www.dessertfirstgirl.com
- www.pinterest.com
