Breakfast Deliciousness

Mike and I make elaborate breakfasts probably a bit too often. Not super elaborate, but more than the usual cereal or toast. You know, Pancakes or waffles with bacon and eggs, french toast, breakfast burritos, that sort of thing... I was a picky kid. When I was a kid I didn't like pancakes or waffles. Honey nut Cheerios were my staple - with the occasional bowl of Apple Jacks. I've gradually come to like a lot more things as I've grown older, and particularly since I've been married. Unfortunately I still don't like oatmeal or yogurt, and I had so much cereal as a kid I just got so tired of it I can't eat it anymore or very rarely. My staple breakfast now is a piece of toast with peanut butter on it. But on the weekends and sometimes other days when Mike is home for the morning we make a bigger breakfast together. We have a goal to cut back on it, but not to cut it out altogether. It's nice to have a good hearty breakfast together! Mike is usually head chef at breakfast. He's good at it. I have a hard time getting the pancakes just right, but I do make a pretty mean muffin. Mike has started calling me "Mom McMuffins" to the kids ever since we tried those blueberry zucchini muffins I once posted about, and then tried them again (and again) with chocolate chips - so good! 

Anyway, we'd gotten kind of tired of our standard breakfast fare. So for Christmas I got Mike an aebleskiver pan. My roommate Melissa in college introduced them to me - back when I was pickier - I didn't even try them then, but lately they have been on my mind...  Mike was not super excited to get this cast iron cookingware, until we tried it -- now it is his favorite Christmas present! Success! Always nice to surprise someone with something they never knew they always wanted :)

 Well, in case you've never heard of the aebleskiver... It's like a hollow round pancake ball you can fill with whatever you want. It's originally from Denmark - as is my family line - so I'm just going back to my roots loving these things! Actually, I kind of stink at cooking them - Mike is the pancake man, which is really why I gave him the pan. Originally you would put a slice of apple in the center which is how Aebleskivers got their name, but we tried bacon and eggs versions, and whip cream ones, all rolled in powdered sugar. Think bacon and egg donut - awesome! We also tried vanilla pudding, and aebleskivers with Nutella in them with some friends - the first time I'd tried that stuff, well - it was made for aebleskivers! It was like a soft homemade Ferraro Rocher. We tried cream cheese too, but didn't like it as well - maybe with a different batter. I'd love to try some potato based pancake recipe with less sweet of fillings!

You can buy a mix, but I just looked up a recipe. Here's the one I went with for other interested parties:

Aebleskivers

2 egg whites

2 egg yolks

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 tablespoon white sugar

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1-2 tsp cinnamon to taste

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 egg yolks

4 tablespoons butter, melted

2 cups milk or buttermilk

Melted butter or vegetable oil for frying

Powdered sugar

Fillings (whip cream, fruit, whatever sounds yummy to you)

Directions

In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites with an electric mixer until they can hold a stiff peak. Set aside.

Mix together the flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda, sugar, cinnamon, egg yolks, melted butter and milk at one time and beat until smooth. Gently fold in the egg whites last.

Brush melted butter in each aebleskiver pan cup and heat until hot. Reduce to medium heat. Pour in about 2 tablespoons of the batter into each cup. As soon as they get bubbly around the edge, turn them quickly (Danish cooks use a long knitting needle, but one of those long two prong kitchen forks or even just a regular fork and spoon will work). Continue cooking, turning the ball to keep it from burning. Roll in powdered sugar and fill with your favorite things. 

Always like to share the goodness. Enjoy!