You don't even have to be Danish.

We thought we'd kick off December with some good eats. Ever heard of Aebleskivers (able skavers)? They are essentially little doughnuts (almost like pancake balls) that are cooked in a special pan. Though we ourselves are not Danish (like aebleskivers), when we inherited one of these pans from Grandma Tillie, we made cooking them a new family tradition. They are great fun any time of year, but they feel particularly festive around the holidays.

Here is the recipe (a la Mr. FYF):

2 egg whites

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tbsp. white sugar

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

2 egg yolks

4 tbsp. butter, melted

2 cups buttermilk

vegetable oil for frying

1. Beat the egg whites in a bowl until they hold stiff peaks

2. Mix together all the other ingredients in another bowl until smooth, then gently fold in the egg whites.

3. Heat the pan over medium/medium-low heat and pour about 1 tbsp. of oil into each cup in the pan (the oil should be hot, but not smoking). Pour about 2 tbsp. of the batter into each cup and cook until they looked cooked around the edges (the middle will not be done yet). Use a fork to flip them over and continue cooking until they are done-- you may need to keep flipping them so they don't burn.

Serve them with powdered sugar, jam, honey, or whatever else you like.

Since I'm not as clever a cook as Mr. FYF, I had a rough go my first time. These little guys take some finesse. Some tips: Don't overfill the wells in the pan! And watch them carefully--I burned my first batch! After a few rounds of filling the pan, you'll get the hang of it!

Here are some pan options:

If you are as passionate about cast-iron as my husband, try this one.


If you are more passionate about your budget, try this one:


You can't beat a cold evening spent indoors with some hot chocolate, aebleskivers, and Frank Sinatra singing "White Christmas!" Add it to your list of traditions.
-Anne