Danish Buttermilk Pancake Puffs (Æbleskiver)

Æbleskiver are tasty small sphere shaped and airy pancakes cooked in a special pan with round cavity traditional made in Denmark for Christmas. Portrayed as a Danish moist pan fried doughnut you can fill with any jam or just dip in sugar, honey, custard or cream.

The origin of æbleskiver in time and place is somewhat blurred, however the legend informs us the Vikings were nomads sailing the seas and came into another battle where they were hit hard in a battle. Their shields had taken the impact of the battle and were beaten up and full of dents. To gain strength for the next battle they decided to make pancakes. The Vikings greased the beaten shields that were full of cavities and placed them on the fire as a frying pan. Slicing apples and dipping them in batter before placing them in the cavities of the hot shields. That is how the story goes.

Ingredients make 35

250 g plain flour

½ tsp bicarbonate of soda (5g)

½ tsp salt (5g)

25 g caster sugar

1 lemon, zest

3eggs (150g) separated

400 g buttermilk

70 g oil or melted butter

Method

Place flour, soda, salt, sugar and lemon zest in a bowl and combine. Add buttermilk, egg yolks and oil or butter. Whisk together making a batter and allow resting for approx. 15 minutes. Whisk egg whites and fold into the batter. Spray the cavities in the pan with some oil or butter and heat the pan over medium heat. Fill the cavities in the pan ¾ with batter and cook for approx. 2 minutes. Turn over with a fork and cook the other side for approx. 1 minute. Place the pancake puffs on a tray and keep warm in a 100ºC oven. Repeat the process until all batter in used. Dust with icing sugar and serve with jam, sugar, honey, cream or custard.

Note: Before turning the æbleskiver over you can place cooked apple in the batter or pipe it into them after cooking.