How to use an Ebelskiver Pan!

An Ebelskiver pan is required to make Danish filled-pancakes that are delicious. Once you learn how to make these puff pancakes called Ebelskivers, your family and friends will be asking for them all the time. My family has regular Ebelskiver parties headed up by my son who loves to make and eat these delicious puff pancakes.

Finding the best Ebleskiver Pan is the first step in making Ebelskivers at home on a regular basis. Ebelskiver pans are made with cast iron or cast aluminum materials, and which one you choose is a matter of taste. Take a look at the best of both types of Ebelskiver Pans, so you can make an informed choice.

Originally pans were made of heavy cast iron to be used over an open flame. The cast iron pan heats evenly which makes for a great puff pancake. It is the preferred pan in restaurants that serve Ebleskivers. It is also the preferred pan in my family. Be aware that the cast iron pans are not recommended for modern glass top stoves. If you have a glass top stove or cannot physically lift a heavy cast iron pan, then consider an aluminum pan. There are some great ones on the market.

The only other items you will need to make these fried round pancakes are a turning tool, a large platter and good recipe. I use a thin metal knitting needle to turn my Ebelskivers during frying. It works real well for me. There are special turning tools with wooden handles for frying round pancakes and dumplings.

Get ready for a treat!

Photo by Nancianne

Sturdy Pan That Will Last a Lifetime

If you want a traditional style Ebelskiver pan to make those delicious Danish pancakes, then a heavy cast iron pan is the recommended choice. This is the pan my mother would use when I was a child in the 1960's. As a family we would travel to the quaint Danish town of Solvang, California and treat ourselves to Ebelskivers in one of the many restaurants located in this unique town. These Danish stuffed pancakes in Solvang are made in pans just like the ones the Danish used many years ago.

My favorite pan is a 7-cup Aebleskiver Pan that is cast iron and has seven wells for cooking these round pancakes. Many of the brands today are priced just right for everyone's budget. Any gourmet cook or budding chef will love the quality of cast iron cookware. Cast iron cookware when taken care of properly can last a lifetime.

Once you cook in a cast iron pan, it will be hard to switch back to any other type of pan. Every time you use a cast iron pan it seasons itself just a little more and turns into the best type of pan to cook Ebleskivers. One word of caution for those who own glass-top stoves is that it is not recommended to use any type of cast iron cookware on these surfaces. It would be best to look at the aluminum Ebelskiver pans.

Photo by Nancianne

A Lightweight Choice!

A great lightweight Ebelsiver pan is one made of cast aluminum with a nonstick coating. The lighter weight pan is good choice if you have a glass top stove since it will not scratch the surface of this type of stove like a heavy cast iron pan would. If you own this glass top stove, then you are aware that the manufacturers do not recommend using a heavy cast iron type of pan since it could damage the surface.

These pans are made with a heavy duty cast aluminum that does not warp when heated to the high temperatures required to fry Ebelskivers. This is a very important item to consider when frying any food item in very hot oil. Safety is also a key thing to consider since being burned or a potential flash fire by hot oil is a possibility if your pan quality is poor or cheap.

An Ebelskiver Pan is a great idea as a gift for a newlywed or the cook who has just about anything! Don't forget to add some recipes too!

A Good Specialty Pan is a Must!

By now you must realize you need a specialty pan to cook these delicious puff or round pancakes. If you are looking for the best nonstick pan then I recommend a pan such as the Nordic Ware Danish Ebleskiver Pan. It is an excellent pan made with high quality materials, easy to use and priced just right. Once you select and purchase the Ebelskiver pan that you like the best, the next thing is to gather up a few other cooking tools and a great recipe. (I recommend trying my recipe listed here; my families favorite for decades!)

The other very important item you need to make Ebelskivers, is a turning tool. The sell special turning tools or picks at Cooking Stores; however, I use a knitting needle with a thin, sharp tip. That is what my mother used making Ebleskivers when I was a child and it is still what I use today as a very "grown up" person!

I recommend gathering up everything you will need to make the pancakes a head of time. Make the batter first and set aside while the oil is heating in the pan. I turn out the hot pancakes onto a plate of powdered sugar but you can put them on paper towels to drain off the excess oil. Have that ready as well. Once you start cooking the Ebelskivers, you will be working fast.

I suggest making a "test" pancake in the center well of the Ebelskiver pan. The batter should sizzle immediately when dropping by spoonful or small ladle into the hot oil It is also important to do this to make sure you use just the right amount of batter for the well. Too much batter and it will overflow; too little batter and your puff pancake will be flat.

When cooking the batter in multiple wells (up to 7 at a time), they will brown quickly and at the same time so you will have to work fast turning the batter lumps in sequence with your turning tool. Take the tip of the turning tool at the edge of the browned batter and roll it halfway or 180 degrees, let brown and repeat process until you create a round pancake ball. If you are using a recipe with a filling, add the filling before the first turn.

It takes a little practice, but when you get the hang of it, you will be making batches of these delicious Ebelskivers for your family and friends on a regular basis. We have occasional family brunches with a batch of Ebelskivers being the focus. My son and I work together cooking up batches of these delicious round pancakes using several pans.

This Ebelskiver recipe is a family favorite that we have used for decades. It was acquired when I was a little girl, and we would visit the quaint little Danish town, Solvang, California. Our family become "hooked" on Ebelskivers, bought a cast iron pan and found this delicious, traditional-style recipe that I want to share with you. You can find other recipes in cookbooks or on the internet. Try a few out to find your favorite recipe too.

Photo by Nancianne