If you're not Danish, there's a chance you won't have any idea what I'm talking about when I say "let's go order a few hundred* æbleskiver for lunch". If you are Danish and don't know what I mean? Well, read this post and pretend you knew the entire time because your lot are unforgiving when it comes to wronging their food ("Remoulade on karrysild? What were you thinking?")
When I was in Denmark in 2016, spending Christmas there for the first time, I had my first taste of æbleskiver. The direct translation is apple (æble) slices (skiver). Pronounced [ay-bl skew-uh], it is a Danish tradition to have them at Christmas with warm mulled wine (gløgg), preferably somewhere cosy like a quaint café, though it's practically impossible to feel un-cosy when you're eating these.
They are small, round dough-y balls, cooked by heating a mix that includes eggs, milk and flour on the hob in a specially made, cast iron pan with holes for the mixture. Once done, a sprinkle of sugar powder dusted on top and served with jam.
I like to think that æbleskiver taste like magic mini doughnuts. They are delicious, not overly sweet and best eaten straight out of the pan with warm jam (preferably with real fruit bits). They're up there with pasteis de nata and panna cotta.
Note: only four years after introducing me to them my spouse has dropped the bombshell to me that there is actually no apple in æble 'apple slices' skiver, so... that's the end of that era.
It's very quick and easy to make. You can find a recipe for æbleskiver here.
*Recommended portion size is 6 per person. Exceed at your own risk.
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