I received a lovely surprise package a couple of weeks ago from my brother-in-law & sister-in-law, Randy and Violetta! I love nice surprises :) They spoiled me with an Ebelskiver pan and pancake mix (didn't even know there was a pancake mix!) from Williams Sonoma. The pan and pancake mix were wrapped in pretty WS paper and ribbon. OMG! Felt like Christmas!
So with a name like "Ebelskiver" what is it? Ebelskiver means apple slices. They are traditional Danish round-shaped, filled pancakes that are cooked on a stove top and require an Ebelskiver pan to achieve the distinctive spherical shape. From what I've read, they are traditional in Denmark before the Christmas holiday. They can be filled with fruit, jams, custards, chocolate, cheese or curd (mmm. Imagine a Myers lemon curd!).
These spherical, pretty and tasty pancakes were quick and fun to make. Serving them with breakfast or presenting them for dessert is a treat and you can be very creative with your presentation.
My first round (no pun intended) of ebelskivers had me wondering … how the heck am I going to turn these and keep them in one piece? What was helpful, besides reading the directions, was to watch a very quick video on the Williams Sonoma site. You eventually get the hang of it and when you start turning them to reveal the beautifully carmelized underside you'll start feeling that confidence and sense of wow. I used strawberry preserves or a spiced apple filling (used for pies) as the center-filling. Ebelskivers are good without filling too, but the filling is the surprise!
They're definitely best right after a slight-cooling after coming out of the pan, but they hold up well to eat later in the day too. Serving with:
- berries
- a dusting of powdered sugar
- a drizzle of honey or syrup
- a dollop of whipped cream
makes a perfect accompaniment.
Next time I whip these up, I might add a twist like a splash of vanilla or a teaspoon of cinnamon… or add a very ripe banana to the batter and use a banana pudding as the filling. Yum! Also, the thought of using applesauce or some delicious flavored baby food as the filling might be delish too.
Randy and Violetta, thank you for such a warm and thoughtful gift. I love it. The next time our paths meet, whether in your neck of the wood or ours, I will have my pan with me and look forward to sharing these with you.
Cristina - Teenie Cakes says
Aren’t ebelskivers a fun and versatile treat!? I really like the idea of these little spheres being both savory or sweet and once you get over the initial hesitation of “how am I going to get these turned over?” – they’re fantastic. The book at Williams-Sonoma by Kevin Crafts is a gem…full of great ideas. Please share with me which recipes you try from the book or other creative things you do with the ebelskiver pan. 🙂
Gabriella says
I have just been on holiday and when i was on holiday i discoverd ebelskivers. I got the pan and the recipe book from williams sonnama and i have had a lot of fun making them and every one enjoyes them !
Francie says
Yummo! That looks so tasty! :o)