Cooking Tips & Other FAQs
Step 1: Heat seasoned æbleskiver pan on low-medium heat for 10-15 minutes or until hot. On our ceramic top electric stove, we have the burner set between 3 & 4. Gas stoves, try starting on a setting between low & medium. These settings could vary by stove so you may need to play with the heat a little. Once pan is hot, add 1/4-1/2 teaspoon of cooking oil (vegetable, corn or olive oil) in each well of the æbleskiver pan.
NOTE: If you are using a ceramic stove top, please refer to your owner's manual. Some older ceramic top stoves recommend against using cast iron, we've never had a problem but we'd hate to cause you some!
Step 2: Mix batter according to favorite recipe or instructions on Aunt Else's Æbleskiver Mix package. **Tip: If you are making a savory filled-æbleskiver, try substituting half to 3/4 of the water with beer!**
**Tip: If you are making a sweet filled-æbleskiver, try adding lemon zest, cardomom, nutmeg, or vanilla extract to the batter!**
Step 3: Pour batter nearly to the top of each well of æbleskiver pan (about and 1/8" from the top).
Step 4 (Optional): Add small piece of apple, berry, sausage, chocolate or other favorite filling in the middle of each batter-filled well. Try to avoid making the batter overflow the well.
Step 5: Using a knitting needle or chop stick, slowly "slide" each æbleskiver a 1/4 of a turn as soon as the edges are dry. The 'sliding' technique takes a little while to master, check out our instructional video at the top of the page, the motion is half pulling/half pushing the cooked wall of the æbleskiver.
Step 6: Insert chopstick in the corner just created by the first quarter turn. Slowly slide each æbleskiver in the 90 degree opposite direction.
Step 7: Continue to slide
æbleskiver 1-2 more times in quarter turn increments, until the
æbleskiver are completely round.
Step 8: Æbleskiver are completely cooked when a toothpick or knitting needle inserted in middle of
æbleskiver is clean when removed.
Step 9: Serve hot with syrup, jam, or applesauce and dusted with powdered sugar.
A: The first step in many æbleskiver recipes asks you to separate the eggs, mix the yolks into the batter, beat the whites until they are stiff, and them fold them into the batter. This method makes a lighter, fluffier æbleskiver, but is certainly not mandatory. If you are crunched for time, as we are at the Farmer's Market, or are trying to get them made before the kids tear the house apart, the separating step can safely be skipped, and your æbleskiver will still be wonderful, light and tasty!
A: If you are cooking with a cast iron æbleskiver pan, the first batch tends to stick. We find heating the pan with oil in each well over low to medium heat for 10-15 minutes ensures the the pan is nice & hot before baking your first batch helps a lot. On our ceramic top electric stove, we have the burner set between 3 & 4. Gas stoves, try starting on a setting between low & medium. These settings could vary by stove so you may need to play with the heat a little. Don't be afraid of the oil, make sure the entire well gets covered and even the space in between the wells is should be oiled completely.
A: Run a very thin knitting needle around the outside of each æbleskiver before the first turn. Sometimes this helps separate the æbleskiver from the well.
A: If your pan is well heated, and your æbleskiver are continually sticking to the surface, you may need to re-season your pan by following the seasoning instructions below.
A: Æbleskiver are completely round Danish pastry that are baked on the stove-top in a special pan called an æbleskiver pan or iron. The texture of æbleskiver is somewhere between a pancake and a pop-over. Traditionally, æbleskiver are filled with small apple slices and are made during Advent, especially Christmas Eve. Today, æbleskiver are commonly made anytime families can be together and with no filling or any filling imaginable.
A: Æbleskiver have been made in Denmark since at least the 1600s. Æbleskiver is believed to have developed from "Oliebollen", which are deep fried, batter-dipped apple slices and are still eaten throughout Scandinavia and northern Germany.
There are many variations of æbleskiver-like delicacies found throughout Europe, and around the world. The Dutch have a flatter, un-filled version called "Poffertjes". The Italians also have a smaller, sweet version. The Japanese fill their savory "Takoyaki" with octopus, and the Chinese have a similar item filled with beans. In India, you can find "Paniyaram" in sweet & savory varieties. Here in North America, anyone traveling to French-Canada or New Orleans may have tried "beignet".
Q: Do I need an æbleskiver pan to make æbleskiver? A: Yes. Æbleskiver pans are created specifically to make
æbleskiver, and you can't get the round shape and fluffy texture if they are not baked in an
æbleskiver pan.
Q: Will the cast iron æbleskiver pan work on my ceramic (smooth) stove top?
A: Yes. Our business partner Lisa cooks with our pan on her ceramic stove top all the time without any problems. Her
æbleskiver are never round but that isn't the ceramic stove top's fault! We recommend referring to your owner's manual, some older ceramic top stoves recommend against using cast iron, we've never had a problem but we'd hate to cause you some!
A: Our pan will also work on the new magnetic induction stoves that are starting to appear in the US from Europe. These are the new age stove tops that only heat what is in the pan, but the pan and stove top itself do not get hot. If you are on the cutting edge with your stove, our cast iron
æbleskiver pan will work well for you.
A: Yes. Originally æbleskiver pans were made from copper. In the mid-1800s up until the last decade or two æbleskiver pans have been made from cast iron. Many modern day pans are made with aluminum with a non-stick coating. Although the aluminum offers the convenience of a light-weight pan, we prefer the taste of æbleskiver baked in a cast iron pan.
A: The cast iron pan will also work on the new magnetic induction stoves that are starting to appear in the US from Europe. These are the new age stove tops that only heat what is in the pan, but the pan and stove top itself do not get hot. If you are on the cutting edge with your stove, our cast iron æbleskiver pan will work well for you, whereas an aluminum pan will not.
A: Aunt Else's has cast iron pans available for purchase online and at all our events.
Click here to go to our Products page.
A: Visit our
Where to Buy page to see if there is a retail location near you.
A: Cast iron
æbleskiver pans can sometimes be found on Ebay, or Craig's list, but typically go really fast and the bidding can be quite aggressive. On rare occasions, cast iron
æbleskiver pans can be found at antique, estate or garage sales. Many times
æbleskiver pans are mislabeled as egg poachers.
Aluminum pans can be found in many specialty cooking and even box retail stores across the country.
Q: Where can I get Aunt Else's Æbleskiver products?
A: All of Aunt Else's products are available for purchase on our
Products page.
A: Our products are for sale at all of our events, check our
Events page or
click here to add yourself to our email list and we will keep you up to date of our events.
A: Visit our
Where to Buy page to see if there is a retail location near you.
A: We are working with other food and cooking stores who will carry our
æbleskiver products as well. If you have a location you'd like to see carry Aunt Else's products, please
click here and leave us a message or email us directly at
auntelse@gmail.com.
Q: My favorite store should carry Aunt Else's Æbleskiver products. Why don't they?
A: Although we are working with many food, grocery, cooking, co-op, and specialty stores, we are still a young company. You can ask the shopkeeper at your favorite store to contact us directly about our products. However, we would also love to hear your suggestions about the best outlets for our products!
Click here and give us as much information as you can about your favorite shop, and whom we should contact there. We will definitely follow up with them! Alternatively, you can email this information to us at
auntelse@gmail.com. Thank you for spreading the word about Aunt Else's
Æbleskiver!
- Standard Flat Rate Shipping - select this option if you live in Greater Minnesota or out-of-state, shipping charges may vary by order and destination.
- Market Pick-up - select this option if you are able to come to one of the events on our Events page to pick-up your order. There is not a charge for this option. Please consult the Events page before selecting this option to ensure Aunt Else has an event near you within the time frame you'd like to receive your order. Especially during the winter months, we may not have an events each week. We will contact you via email to agree on the event that you can pick-up your order.
Q: How do I season my cast iron æbleskiver pan?
A: You must season your Aunt Else's 9-hole Cast Iron Æbleskiver before using it for the first time. Here's how to season it:
1) Rinse pan with hot, soapy water, and immediately dry thoroughly.
2) Apply a thin, even coating of vegetable oil to the entire pan (inside & out).
3) Place pan upside down on the top rack of a 400 degree oven. Place some aluminum foil on the bottom rack of the oven to catch any drips.
4) Bake pan for at least one hour. After the hour, turn the oven off and let the pan cool in the oven.
5) Store the pan uncovered, in a dry place when cooled.
Q: How do I care for my cast iron æbleskiver pan?
A: Your Aunt Else's 9-hole Cast Iron Æbleskiver can last more than a lifetime with the proper care. Here's how to do it:
Before cooking, prepare the surface with vegetable oil.
Cook over low-medium heat. Ensure the pan is well-heated before cooking to avoid æbleskiver sticking to the surface unnecessarily.
After cooking, clean pan with a stiff brush and hot water. Once your pan is seasoned, using soap or cleanser is not recommended.
Towel dry immediately and apply a light coat of vegetable oil while the pan is still warm.
Store pan in a cool, dry place.
Never wash in a dishwasher.
If the dull, gray color returns, æbleskiver are continually sticking to the surface, or a well-intended helper puts your pan through the diswasher, you can re-season your pan by
following the seasoning instructions above.
