Crafts - Ebelskivers: Danish-Style Filled Pancakes And Other Sweet And Savory Treats

recipes Kevin Crafts

photographs Erin Kunkel

contents

all about ebelskivers

Ebelskiverslight, puffy, sphere-shaped pancakesare served with flavorful toppings and fillings. Incredibly versatile, they can be varied in countless delicious ways.

Ebelskivers (pronounced able-skeevers) are originally from Denmark, served there as a traditional snack or dessert. Although the word ebelskiver (also spelled aebleskiver) literally translates to sliced apples, these light, airy treats are more often found today simply dusted with confectioners sugar and accompanied by fruit jam, such as raspberry or strawberry, or fruit curd.

Ebelskivers require little more than ingredients you probably already have on hand in your kitchenmilk, eggs, flourand a special seven-welled pan that forms the pancakes unique shape. The batter is a breeze to make, and the cooking method is so simple to master that it is easy to be creative when making ebelskivers. Modern versions can be sweet or savory, filled or unfilled, and feature fresh fruit or vegetables, preserves, caramel, chocolate, cheese, meat, and even seafood.

This book offers more than forty recipes for these tiny treats, perfect for a kid-friendly breakfast, an innovative snack, a conversation-sparking hors doeuvre, a light supper accompanied by a green salad, or an over-the-top dessert. The possibilities are endless!

ebelskivers past & present

Denmarks rich farmland is well suited to producing the grain and dairy products that form the basis of the ebelskiver batter. The country is also famous for its apples (ebler) that are the root of the word ebelskiver.

Tracing their origin back for hundreds of years, ebelskivers are traditional fare at Danish holiday gatheringsespecially Christmasand at other family and community events. The distinctive pans for cooking the pancakes are family heirlooms, passed down from generation to generation.

dozens of varieties

While the literal translation of ebelskiver, sliced apples, evokes an apple-filled pancake, every Danish household has its own unique recipe, and it may not include apples at all. Some use regular milk in the batter, while others favor buttermilk. Some families use baking powder for leavening, while others feel yeast produces a better flavor. One cook might scent the batter with cardamom, another with nutmeg. One grandmother might serve her treasured recipe with applesauce, while her daughter might offer raspberry jam to her guests.

For todays cooks, this spirit of customizing the ebelskiver according to ones own taste is appealing, thanks to the ease of making and cooking the pancakes. The following pages offer a variety of inspirationfrom the traditional to the fancifulto spark your imagination.

the legend of ebelskivers

The invention of ebelskivers is much debated, but one story tells of the Vikings returning very hungry from a fierce battle. With no frying pans on which to cook, they placed their damaged shields over a hot fire and cooked pancakes in the indentations.

equipment

Aside from the traditional pan, making ebelskivers does not require special equipment. Measuring tools, a whisk, and silicone spatula are the minimum tools needed to make the batter, but an electric mixer will make quick work of beating the egg whites, which are responsible for the light and airy texture of the pancakes. A couple of wooden skewers or thin icing spatulaseven knitting needleshelp flip the pancakes efficiently and easily.

the ebelskiver pan

Most of the ebelskiver pans available today are 9 to 10 inches in diameter and feature the traditional round shape with seven deep, hemispherical wells for the batter and a long handle. You can also find rectangular pans with nine wells. Traditional pans are made from cast iron and require seasoning in order to obtain a stick-resistant finish over time. Some heirloom pans are made from copper, but they are troublesome to cook with. You can find these traditional pans in flea markets and antique stores, reflecting the historical significance of ebelskivers in Danish households.

Modern-style ebelskiver pans are made from cast aluminum, which heats quickly and evenly. Many also offer a nonstick coating on the pan surface to assure clean release of the pancakes, especially if the filling spills onto the pan. Modern ebelskiver pans are widely available in kitchenware stores or through Internet and mail-order sources.

pan types

If you are purchasing a traditional-style ebelskiver pan, be sure to buy the type that is best suited to your kitchen stove, as the pans are constructed a bit differently for gas stoves and electric models. Modern-style pans work on both types of appliances.

making the batter

Ebelskivers are easy to make, requiring few ingredients and simple techniques. If working with egg whites seems daunting at first, dont worry: the batter is very forgiving.

1 Mix the dry ingredients In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. The recipe may also call for ground nuts, cornmeal, poppy seeds, or a dry flavoring in this step.

2 Mix the wet ingredients In a small bowl, lightly whisk the egg yolks, then whisk in the milk, melted butter, and liquid flavorings, such as vanilla extract, peanut butter, or another flavoring called for in the recipe.

3 Combine the dry and wet ingredients Add the yolk mixture to the bowl with the flour mixture. Switch to a wooden spoon and stir until the ingredients are well blended. The batter will appear slightly lumpy.

4 Beat the egg whites In a clean bowl, using an electric mixer set on high speed, beat the egg whites until stiff, but not dry, peaks form. When the beaters are lifted, the egg whites should hold a firm peak that droops slightly at the top.

5 Lighten the batter Pile about a third of the beaten egg whites on top of the batter. Using a rubber spatula, slice down through the center of the mixtures, then pull the spatula up along the side of the bowl and over the top, gently incorporating the two mixtures. Rotate the bowl a quarter turn and repeat until the egg whites have been incorporated.