Make Aebleskiver with Kirsten!!
Aebleskiver is a traditional donut-like Dutch recipe that would've been loved by Kirsten! It's named after the traditional serving of apple slices or apple sauce with these delectable little puffs. I have to say my family and I (as Scandinavians ourselves) much prefer Aebleskiver to a Dutch Baby or Swedish Pancake.
Here's my recipe, which came with my Aebleskiver pan!
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups buttermilk (add a tablespoon of vinegar per cup of milk if you don't have buttermilk!!)
3 eggs --separated
Fruit or jam for filling, optional
Instructions:
1. Mix the first four ingredients together, plus egg yolks. In a separate bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form. I would definitely recommend using an electric mixer, even if that's not true to what Kirsten's family would do. Fold the egg whites carefully into the rest of the batter. I think the batter looks and tastes like fluffy crepe batter.
2. Place your Aebleskiver pan over medium heat on a stove burner and butter it up (or spray with cooking spray). Mine is from my great-grandmother and at least 60 years old. Aebleskiver pans are cast iron, heavy as all get out, and have seven small indents in them for the batter.
If you don't have an Aebleskiver pan, I've seen some on the internet on Amazon or second hand for as little as ten bucks. I've also seen online discussions about using a mini muffin pan instead, but I've never tried that so I can't vouch for how it works.
3. Fill each indent 2/3 (ish- maybe more) full. If you choose to add filling, put half the batter in, then filling, then the other half. My family is a fan of raspberry jelly. Apple slices or just plain is more traditional. Cook each side for 1-2 minutes and flip and cook for another 1-2 minutes. I use a spoon to flip and a fork to pull the finished Aebleskiver out of the pan, but people would even use knitting needles to do this.
4. Realize why this is a traditional winter breakfast, because people like Kirsten's family didn't have air-conditioning and the Aebleskiver pan is VERY HOT. Thankfully, unlike the Larsons, we have AC and can comfortably make these whenever we please.
5. Top the Aebleskiver with powdered sugar. Enjoy fluffy Scandinavian goodness.
