Monday 19 November 2007

Æblewhat?

Æbleskiver (n., pl.)- Doesn't this word sound like something you might call a truant child, skiving off of school? Well it's not. Æbleskiver are spherical Danish pancakes. In English the word is most often written ebleskiver or aebleskiver according to my (mostly) trusty source Wikipedia.

Photo courtesy of Baking With Sourdough Starters

I came across these on Baking With Sourdough Starters via Apartment Therapy: The Kitchen. I just love discovering traditional foods, particularly baked goods, that I have never heard of before, and that fact that these fit so well into the brunch category couldn't suit me more. Just yesterday I whipped up a batch of buttermilk pancakes which were a little too fluffy for my liking. These aebleskiver look just right for me; the way you turn them gradually to make them into a sphere (with a convenient hole in the middle) is so charming. I'm thinking that a traditional prune jam filling would be quite nice... or maybe some custard? Or both...

I'm off to search for an aebleskiver pan online.

5 comments:

Mrs. WV said...

aww these look adorable! good luck with the pan search!

Amy V said...

I can help you! (I think)

Not only have these been featured on late night informercials (with the much less noteworthy moniker "puffs"), I believe you can find such a pan at Williams Sonoma. That is, if you can't find it in your own country and you're willing to pay shipping. But since the dollar is worth less than the gum on the bottom of my shoe, it might actually be the economical option.

Joanna said...

the pan search update: there are no aebleskiver pans in london - well at least not for purchase.

if there are any danish london dwellers reading this, thinking how they've been meaning to clear out their kitchen, i'd be more than happy to take your aebleskiver pan. and maybe you could teach me how to pronounce it properly too.

amy - thanks so much for the tip! i think i'll probably end up getting one from williams sonoma in the end. i'll update you once i've tried it out!

lisb. said...

in denmark, in sønderjylland, it's called æbleskiver with music, when you add some prune cooked with sugar before you turn the æbleskive around, I also use the pan for frying small eggs, lots of fun for children, and fun for the robust brunch, you can make a lot of eggs in one go. my grandmother used to make æbleskiver once before christmas and store them in a stone warecrock and reheat as needed. it's a traditional christmas treat, but we are not a lot making them ourselfs.. lisb.

Joanna said...

lisb... thanks so much for the info. i love that. aebleskiver with music.

i was lucky enough to be given an aebleskiver pan by my father, who carried it all the way from the states (they are very heavy). i am ashamed to say i have not used it yet... but this is a very good reminder, and i must say the prune filling sounds delicious so that will be my filling of choice on my first attempt.

i will let you know how it goes!