What are ebelskivers? Not nearly as scary as the name sounds….. they are Danish treats that are sometimes called Danish pancakes or Danish puffs. They are more puff than pancake as they are cooked into little round balls in a pan made especially for them. My friends at ScanpanUSA (www.scanpan.com) presented me with an ebelskiver pan some time ago and although I have used it I have infrequently made the dessert it is named for. However, they are so easy to do and just enough work that I am willing to put my “no sweets diet” aside. With this batch I made half with jam filling and half with bittersweet chocolate – I loved them both. Next, I am going to try to make a savory version which I will report on once done.
I make this small recipe otherwise I’d eat too many of them, but you can easily double the recipe. If you have children or a sweet tooth, I’d recommend doing that as these are rather like doughnut holes that you can just pop into your mouth.
Æbelskiversor Ebelskivers
Makes about 18
2 large eggs, separated
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons sugar
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ cup milk
½ cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Raspberry or other jam of choice (you’ll need about ¼ cup)
9 bits of bittersweet chocolate or 3 bittersweet chocolate chips per ebelskiver
Butter for brushing ebelskiver cups
Cinnamon sugar or confectioners’ sugar for dusting
Place the egg whites in a small bowl and beat, using a hand-held electric mixer, for about 4 minutes or until stiff, but not dry. Set aside.
Combine the flour, sugar and baking powder in a medium mixing bowl, whisking to blend well.
Combine the milk, cream, butter and vanilla with the reserved egg yolks in a small bowl and whisk to blend. Pour the liquid mixture into the dry ingredients and beat to just combine. The mixture should be a bit lumpy.
Fold the egg whites into the batter until incorporated, yet still light and airy.
Place the ebelskiver pan over medium-high heat. Add a dab of butter to each cup and, using a pastry brush, lightly coat the entire cup with the melting butter.
When the butter bubbles, add about a tablespoon of the batter to each cup. As the batter begins to set, place either a teaspoon of jam or the chocolate bits in the center. When the batter is fully set, add a tablespoon of batter to cover the filling. Carefully turn the cooked half and continue to cook until the batter has cooked through and the filling is hot and/or melted. I use a long wooden skewer and my fingers – take care not to burn them – to turn the ball.
Remove from the pan and set on a wire rack. Dust with sugar and serve warm.
Continue making ebelskivers until all of the batter is used.
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