Aebleskiver: A New Take on Traditional Danish Pancakes, written by Pim Pauline Overgaard, features an exciting and innovative collection of over 70 recipes showcasing these spherical pancakes with contemporary twists. A few highlights include Roasted Apricot Æbleskiver with Strawberry Jam, Gingerbread Æbleskiver with Lingonberry Cream and Honey Glaze, Purple Sweet Potato Æbleskiver with Parmesan Ice Cream and Chips, and Sausage-Filled Æbleskiver with Five Kinds of Mustard. I will also be sharing her recipe for Crunchy Cinnamon Æbleskiver with Dark Chocolate Dipping Sauce following the review.
Disclosure: I received a digital copy of this book from The Collective Book Studio in exchange for my honest review. All comments and opinions are my own. This post contains Amazon affiliate links. If you purchase something through the link, I may receive a small commission at no extra charge to you.
Pim Pauline Overgaard
Pim Pauline Overgaard is half Swedish, half Norwegian, was born and raised in Sweden, and went to school in Copenhagen.
She actually first heard about æbleskiver after moving to San Francisco and more so when visiting Solvang (me too!) in the Santa Ynez Valley.
Pim is the head designer at Williams Sonoma Home and has also worked with brands including GreenRow, Pottery Barn, and Williams Sonoma (kitchen). She also created cartoon-style illustrated gift books and currently focuses on cookbooks highlighting reimagined classic recipes for various dietary needs.
Aebleskiver
Pim begins Æbleskiver with a short introduction before going over necessary pans and tools to help get started. Having an æbleskiver pan is best for making everything in the book.
She notes, “if you don’t happen to have an æbleskiver pan, that’s okay. Most of the recipes in this book can be cooked in a regular frying pan like American pancakes. They won’t have the fun round shape, but they will still taste delicious.” For all of the recipes I tried, I used a well-seasoned cast iron æbleskiver pan I have had for a few years now.
Chapters are divided according to the following: Pans and Tools, How to Make the Perfect Sphere, Basic Recipes, Sweet Æbleskiver, and Savory Æbleskiver.
The section devoted to forming the sphere-shaped pancakes is particularly helpful for beginners with detailed tips, illustrations, and photos. There are also a variety of base recipes including classic, gluten-free, vegan, paleo, keto, and yeast-based æbleskiver. Once you get the basics down, they are perfect for pairing with the flavoring chart to develop your own creations.
Pim also provides the beautiful photography. Every recipe is paired with at least one photo of the finished dish.
Titles are written in English. Measurements are listed in US Customary and Metric. There are notations next to the title if the recipe is nut-free, gluten-free, vegetarian, and/or vegan.
Crunchy Cinnamon Æbleskiver
The Crunchy Cinnamon Æbleskiver with Dark Chocolate Dipping Sauce were a wonderful option to get started before moving on to some of the more intricate recipes.
Both the cinnamon-scented æbleskiver and the accompanying chocolate sauce come together easily with basic ingredients. You also don’t have to deal with any fillings.
Simply bring together the batter, use an ice cream scoop to divide between the cavities, then twist and turn over medium to low heat to form the fluffy spheres.
Lightly coat the pancakes in butter and cinnamon sugar (such a wonderful texture with the raw sugar!) before serving warm alongside a decadent dark chocolate dipping sauce. The resulting flavors were reminiscent of churros.
A Few Æbleskive Tips
Whisk the batter just until combined. Do not over-mix or stir again once it comes together.
To quickly and easily transfer the batter to the greased pan, I used an ice cream scoop. The size (not heaping) was perfect for each cavity in the pan (this may differ based on the type of pan you use).
Use a thin wooden skewer to turn the æbleskiver to create a sphere as they form a crust. Make sure the pan is well-greased with the butter to prevent sticking. Pim recommends 6 to 8 inch (15-20 centimeter) bamboo sticks or skewers.
Adjust the heat between low and medium-low as needed. You want the outside to become golden, but also give the fluffy interior a chance to cook through. Use a thin toothpick inserted through the thickest part to check that the batter is no longer wet.
To keep the æbleskiver warm while you prepare the rest of the batter, place them in a single layer on a baking sheet in a 200˚F (100˚C) oven.
Brush each formed Crunchy Cinnamon Æbleskive lightly with the melted butter. Do not dip. You want a light coating to allow the cinnamon sugar to stick.
More Æbleskiver
I also made the Almond Æbleskiver with Warm Mixed Berry Compote, Chocolate Truffle Æbleskiver with Chocolate Glaze, Cheddar and Chive Æbleskiver with Avocado and Endive and Buttermilk Dressing, and Pesto Æbleskiver filled with Lamb Meatballs.
The Almond Æbleskiver with Warm Mixed Berry Compote is another great option for beginners. The æbleskiver include both almond flour and sliced almonds for a perfect accompaniment to the compote with blackberries, blueberries, strawberries, and raspberries.
The Chocolate Truffle Æbleskiver with Chocolate Glaze has double the chocolate with not only the chocolate glaze, but also a decadent chocolate ganache truffle filling inside each æbleskive. To finish, they are topped with fresh or dried edible flowers.
Chad’s favorite was the Cheddar and Chive Æbleskiver with Avocado and Endive Salad and Buttermilk Dressing. These savory æbleskiver are packed with buttermilk, cheddar, and chives. They were fantastic with the salad for a light lunch.
The Pesto Æbleskiver filled with Lamb Meatballs were another fun savory option. The batter is packed with homemade or store-bought pesto and shredded parmesan cheese. Each one is filled with a homemade lamb meatball and served alongside even more pesto for dipping. Since the lamb meatballs are sturdy, this is a nice start for filled recipes.
Æbleskiver is a great pick for those interested in a variety of sweet and savory æbleskive recipes. Recipes range from quick and easy dishes that come together in less than 30 minutes to more intricate creations with multiple parts. Personally, I have used my æbleskiver pan more in the last couple of weeks than I have in the last couple of years, so I am particularly excited for all the new, unique options.
Many of the ingredients are readily available in larger American grocery stores. A few items may require further searching including specialty seafood, food-grade activated charcoal powder, coconut palm sugar, bomba paella rice, aji amarillo, specialty flour, ricotta salata, and more.
Crunchy Cinnamon Æbleskiver Recipe
Excerpt from Aebleskiver
Crunchy Cinnamon Æbleskiver with Dark Chocolate Dipping Sauce
Ingredients
Dark Chocolate Sauce:
- 2/3 cup (160 milliliters) evaporated milk
- 6 ounces (170 grams) dark chocolate
- 1/4 cup (55 grams) butter cubed
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2/3 cup (130 grams) raw sugar
Æbleskiver:
- 1 1/2 cups (210 grams) all-purpose flour
- 4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup (50 grams) raw sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 large egg
- 1 1/4 cups (300 milliliters) milk
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup (165 grams) melted butter divided, plus more for the pan
Topping:
- 1/2 cup (100 grams) raw sugar
- 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
Instructions
To make the dark chocolate sauce:
- In a saucepan over medium-low heat, bring the evaporated milk to a simmer.
- Remove from the heat and add the chocolate, butter, cinnamon, and raw sugar and stir until melted.
- Return the pan to medium-low heat and bring the mixture to a low boil.
- Decrease the heat to low and simmer, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes.
- Remove from the heat. Let cool slightly before serving.
To make the æbleskiver:
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, raw sugar, and cinnamon and mix well. Set aside.
- In another bowl, mix together the egg, milk, vanilla, and 1/4 cup (55 grams) of the melted butter.
- Pour the mixture over the dry ingredients and whisk quickly until just combined. Try not to stir the batter again after this.
- Heat the æbleskiver pan over low to medium heat with 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of butter in each cavity.
- Using an ice cream scoop or a spoon, fill each cavity almost to the top.
- Cook until a crust forms on the batter. Using a thin wooden skewer, turn the æbleskiver 90˚, letting the batter spill over. Once a skin has formed, the æbleskiver will turn easily.
- Turn again in a different direction and then a last time to close up the sphere. Spin the æbleskiver around until evenly golden brown and a toothpick inserted into it comes out mostly clean.
- Serve right away or keep the æbleskiver warm in a 200˚F (100˚C) oven.
To serve:
- In a small bowl, mix together the raw sugar and cinnamon.
- Brush the warm æbleskiver with the remaining 1/2 cup (110 grams) of the melted butter and roll each one in the sugar and cinnamon mixture.
- Serve with the chocolate dipping sauce on the side.
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