Æbleskiver - A Round Danish Puffy Pancake

2 cups buttermilk

2 cups flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 cup sugar

4 eggs, separated

3 Tbsp butter, melted

1 tsp vanilla

1/4 stick butter, melted for the pan

Raspberry jam

Confectioner's Sugar

Preparing the Batter

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, sugar and salt.

Using a whisk, mix the egg yolks together. Then stir in the buttermilk, melted butter (3 Tbsp), and vanilla.

Stir the wet mixture with the dry ingredients. Stir until blended. The batter will be lumpy. Set aside.

Using an electric mixer on high speed, beat the egg whites until stiff, but not dry. When the beaters are lifted, the whites should hold a firm peak.

Using a spatula, fold about a third of the whites into the batter. Cut through the center and pull the spatula up the side and over the top, gently incorporating the two mixtures. Turn the bowl a quarter turn and repeat until all the whites have been incorporated.

Use the batter right away.

Cooking the Æbleskiver

Equipment: Æbleskiver pan, 2 wooden skewers, pastry brush

Using a pastry brush, coat the wells of the pan with melted butter and place over a medium heat. When little bubbles form in the pan, it is heated. Add 1 to 3 tablespoons of batter to each well using two spoons (one to scoop and one to scrape). (I used an 1/8 cup measure.)

If you are adding filling, this is the spot! Spoon 1 teaspoon of the desired filling into the center of each pancake. Add 1 tablespoon of batter on top of the filling to enclose it.

Cook the first side until bubbles rise from the center of the pancake and they are lightly browned on the bottom....usually start turning after you have completed putting the filling in the last pancake. (About 3 minutes)

Flip the pancakes! Position 2 short wooden skewers on opposite sides of the pancake, slide the tips between the edge of the well and the cooked edge, and lift and rotate gently. Repeat with each pancake. Batter may flow from the middle to the bottom of the well. That is okay, it will cook and adhere to the pancake.

Cook the pancakes until lightly browned on the second side, about 3 minutes longer. They should have a nice spherical shape, at this point. Use the skewers to transfer the pancakes to a plate.

Dust the pancakes with confectioner's sugar and serve with a bit of raspberry jam.