An Aebleskiver pan is a pan designed for cooking, not surprisingly, Aebleskivers. Aebleskivers are delightful Danish pancakes. They are a type of puffed pancake that takes on a ball form due to the shape of the pan, instead of being the flat pancakes with which many are more familiar. They are served more as a dessert, offered with whipped cream and fruit preserves, and they’re often favored during holidays as a special treat. You may also find Aebleskivers at county fairs in the United States, where they typically are not cooked in the Aebleskiver pan but are instead deep-fried. In the US, they’re often called Danish pan puffs.
The Aebleskiver pan is normally a circular pan with 6-10 half-circle inserts. These are similar to, but more rounded than muffin cup inserts. Batter is poured into the pan and puffs up the pancake. When it is fully cooked on one side, the round pancake is flipped over to brown the other side. Adding a generous supply of butter to each cup of the Aebleskiver pan while you are preheating it helps the pancakes brown. The results are puffy, rich little round pancakes, usually about an inch or two (2.54-5.08cm) in diameter.
The most commonly available Aebleskiver pan is made of cast iron. You can find a few non-stick aluminum varieties but cast iron tends to be preferred by Aebleskiver experts. You should note that you cannot use the Aebleskiver pan on an electric stove as the pan can get too hot and the pancakes will not evenly heat or rise as they should. It’s far more preferable to use a gas stovetop.
If you don’t have a gas stovetop there is an alternative to the stovetop Aebleskiver pan. You can find flat rectangular antique Aebleskiver pans that are meant for use in the oven. These often feature fancy designs and they have to be buttered very well prior to using so your pancakes don’t stick to the carvings when you turn them. Some cooks don’t turn the pancakes when they are cooked in an oven Aebleskiver pan since they will brown on top naturally. They are then turned out of the pan and served design up. It’s harder to come by this second type of Aebleskiver pan because most cooks do prefer to prepare the ball pancakes on the stovetop.
The Aebleskiver pan varies in price. A heavy cast iron pan with 6-10 cups costs about 30-70 US dollars (USD). You may be able to find non-stick types in aluminum for slightly less, possibly under 30 USD. Also search garage sales, especially if you live in a country where Aebleskivers are not prepared frequently. Many people buy a pan and then only use it a few times, and may be happy to sell it at a yard or garage sale.
