Christmas Traditions
Christmas, or Jul in Danish, is a big deal in Denmark. If you have ever found yourself anywhere in Scandinavia in the winter months, you will understand. Perhaps it’s because it gets so dark and we need some hygge and good food to help us through? Whatever the reason, there are tons of traditions that we follow each year. They range from burning a kalenderlys (calender candle) that counts down the days until Christmas, to “dancing” and singing around the Christmas tree on December 24th, to competing for a mandelgave (almond gift) through a very strange eating competition.
“Little Christmas Eve”
One of these traditions is eating æbleskiver and gløgg on December 23rd, or Lille Juleaften (Little Christmas Eve). The word æbleskiver literally means “apple slices,” but nowadays, we don’t actually put apple in the puffs at all. These days, they are well-known around the world, as they have featured on the Great British Bake-Off and other shows. There’s even an official US eating competition for who can eat the most æbleskiver! Serve these light, round, slightly sweet puffs of pancake with jam and powdered sugar, and we promise they will be a hit!
Tips & Tricks
The recipe itself is for a simple pancake batter, which isn’t too difficult. The cooking process is really the only tricky part (if you watched the GBBO episode featuring these, you’ll know lol). You need a specific pan with spherical holes in it so that you can get the right shape. We understand that most people don’t have a pan like this, but it’s totally worth the purchase of one! Simply google “æbleskiver pan” and you should be able to find some decent, inexpensive ones, like this one* (this is an affiliate link). You can also get a cast iron version* (this is an affiliate link) which may be more expensive. The pan heats up quickly, especially if it’s cast iron, so make sure to keep it at a low-medium heat. Start by making one or two to practice, until you master it. Also, we would recommend using a long wooden skewer to turn the æbleskiver. Let us know if you try this recipe!
Æbleskiver Pans
*the above links are affiliate links. As an Amazon associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
Watch Our Video
Æbleskiver (Danish Pancake Balls)
Ingredients
Batter:
- 300 grams all purpose flour
- 2.5 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 500 ml buttermilk *add a little more if needed to get the right consistency; you can also add more milk or water if you run out of buttermilk!
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 80 milliliters vegetable oil *you can replace with melted butter, but make sure that your other ingredients aren't too cold!
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- Unsalted butter for cooking
Toppings:
- Jam (any kind you like!)
- Powdered sugar
Instructions
- Mix together flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl.
- Mix together eggs, buttermilk, sugar, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract in a medium mixing bowl.
- Add your dry ingredients to your wet, whisking together until just combined (it's okay if it's still a little lumpy).
- The consistency should still be somewhat runny, so if you think it is too thick, add a little bit more buttermilk!
- Preheat your æbleskive pan over medium/low heat.
- Once it is warmed up, add a tiny bit of butter to each hole (you can start with one, so that you can get the hang of it!).
- Add batter, making sure to leave a gap at the top – the batter will rise slightly, so don’t fill it all the way or it will overflow.
- Give it about a minute or two until you flip it over. Use a skewer to rotate so that you can flip the whole thing over, or you can just use a fork. You should start by turning it a little bit and letting the batter pool, then fully flip it over.
- They should be dark golden brown in color – make sure you check whether they are cooked in the center! You may have to cook it at a lower temperature to make sure the middle is cooked without burning the outside.
- It takes some time to find the right temperature, so don't be discouraged if your first batch isn't perfect!
- Repeat adding butter and batter to each hole until you run out of mixture!
- Enjoy by dipping in jam or powdered sugar, or whatever else you would like!
