Aebleskivars!

There is a tradition in my family to have the Danish dish Aebleskivars for dinner around Christmas time. This is a dish my grandfather, who was Danish, loved and is one of the few Danish foods the family has continued to fix. They are YUMMY and a lot of fun to eat! Basically they are pancake balls - I think Aebleskivar means apple panckake. They are served with jam, fruit syrups and powdered sugar. The Jorgensen tradition is that when eating Aebleskivars you have to "come up even" meaning you can't have anything left on your plate. If you have powdered sugar or jam - then you need another Aebleskivar!

I have tried to keep with the tradition and every year around Christmas we have Aebleskivars for dinner one night. We have started inviting friends over to share in our tradition, since they are so unique and fun to eat! This year I invited my friend Amy and her girls Samantha and Maddie to come over. Her husband was out of town that day and since Bryan is gone we decided it was a good night to get together.

Emma's first Aebleskivar

The big kids

Rebekah took this one

Maddie, Rebekah and Samantha
Rebekah is right between these girls in age - it makes for great play dates!

Maddie was especially fond of the Aebleskivars and I had to snap a couple of pictures or her enjoyment - I love the powdered sugar on her arm!

If you want to try your hand at Aebleskivars I will share my Grandmother - Elsie Jorgensen's recipe.

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 t. salt
1 1/4 t. soda
3/4 t. baking powder
2 eggs separated
2 c. buttermilk (this is the only recipe I use actual buttermilk, I do not substitute!)
3 T. melted butter

Directions:
Sift together dry ingredients in mixing bowl
In another bowl, beat egg yolks slightly. Beat in buttermilk and butter.
Stir egg yolk mixture into flour mixture.
In small bowl beat egg whites till stiff peaks form. Fold into batter.

Pour about 3T batter into each preheated, buttered cup of Aebleskivar pan.
Turn when bottom is browned.
Remove when tooth pick inserted in center comes out clean.

Serve with powdered sugar, raspberry jam and fruit syrup.

Makes about 35 Aebleskivars

The link at the top of the post has good pictures and good advice about what kind of Aebleskivar pan to get. I have a cast iron pan and it is awesome!

Enjoy and Glaedig Jul! (That's Merry Christmas in Danish )