Æbleskiver
Small, round pancake balls turned in a special pan until golden all over, served with jam and icing sugar - a Danish Christmas tradition.
- prep
- 15 min
- cook
- 25 min
- total
- 40 min
- serves
- 6
- level
- medium
Æbleskiver are small, spherical pancakes cooked in a special pan with half-round moulds, turned gradually with a skewer until they form a complete golden ball.
Folding whipped egg whites into the batter, rather than mixing whole eggs straight in, is what gives the inside its light, almost soufflé-like texture.
Part of our 20 best Danish recipes list.
method
Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and cardamom together in a bowl.
In another bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the buttermilk and melted butter, then stir into the dry ingredients until just combined.
Whisk the egg whites to soft peaks and fold gently into the batter.
Heat an æbleskiver pan over medium heat and brush each cup with butter.
Fill each cup about three-quarters full with batter.
After 1-2 minutes, once the edges are set, use a skewer or knitting needle to turn each ball a quarter turn, letting raw batter flow into the gap.
Keep turning every minute or so until each ball is golden all over and cooked through, about 6-8 minutes total.
Dust with icing sugar and serve warm with jam for dipping.
chef's tips
- Folding in whipped egg whites rather than using the whole egg straight in the batter is what gives æbleskiver their light, almost soufflé-like centre.
- Turn the balls gradually in small increments rather than flipping them all at once - that's what builds the round shape instead of leaving a flat side.