Ebleskiver Pan

Today while putting some pans away in the little drawer under the stove, I discovered an Ebleskiver pan.  I have seen it spelled Aebleskiver and Ableskiver also.   It had been my mom's.   I'm pretty sure it was not the one her mother used.   Even though it is well seasoned, I don't remember my mom making them.   I kept it, but I never tried them before.  For those who don't know, an Aebleskiver is a Danish Pancake Ball. 

The pan says Ebleskiver Pan and then Apple Pancake Balls.

I had a recipe which I don't think this is a family recipe either.  I thought this would be something cute to make for Christmas brunch, but I needed to practice.  Way back, probably before 1930, my great grandmother made these.  I figured if she could make dozens on a wood stove, why couldn't I.  Well, it wasn't as easy as it looks.  I finally got the hang of turning them over.  I didn't have a skewer which might have worked better,  so I used a toothpick and it worked.

Danish Pancake Balls (Aebleskiver)

This recipe makes about a dozen pancake balls.  You can eat them with butter and jam or just rolled in powdered sugar. 

1 cup plus 2 Tablespoons of flour
2 Tablespoons of sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon or cardamon
14 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1 cup milk
2 Tablespoon melted butter

Mix the flour with the sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.  Then beat the egg and blend with milk and butter.  Add to the dry ingredients and stir until evenly moistened.

Put the Ebelskiver pan over the heat and heat the pan.  Then bush the wells of the pan with butter and fill almost full with batter.  Let them cook for a couple minutes.  You can see the bubbles form on top just like when making a regular pancake.  You can place a piece of apple or piece of sausage into the batter before you turn them.  Then take a tooth pick and flip the pancake over.  When the bottom is browned.  They come out very clean in the shape of a ball.

The pancake balls just before they were ready to turn.

The pancake balls are ready to eat.  Too bad we can't eat wheat anymore.

I forgot that many of us are not eating wheat but they were fun to make, and maybe I will make them again for Christmas.  I will give my dad a couple to see if they are good.   He is 89 and isn't too worried about eating gluten, high fructose corn syrup or fats.  Maybe that's the answer,  just eat what ever you want and not worry about it.  I did find a gluten free recipe and I may try that someday.  Stay tuned.