Denmark, Europe · Æbleskiver (Danish Pancake Balls)

Cardamom Apple Dutch Baby

Name: Cardamom Apple Dutch Baby
Cook time: 33 min
Total time: 33 min
Yield: Serves 2
Cuisine: Denmark
Ingredients: Eggs (room temperature) 2; Whole milk (room temperature) 120 ml; Plain (all-purpose) flour 60 g; Sugar 2 tsp; Ground cardamom ¾ tsp; Vanilla extract ½ tsp; Salt 1 pinch; Apples 1; Butter 25 g; Light brown sugar 2 tsp; Icing (powdered) sugar 1 tbsp; Raspberry jam 2 tbsp

Æbleskiver's cardamom, apple and jam baked as one dramatic, puffy skillet pancake: a brunch-café favourite with no special pan needed.

ServingsServes 2

Total cooking time33 min

DifficultyEasy

Method

Put an ovenproof cast-iron skillet (or other ovenproof pan) on the middle shelf and heat the oven to 220 °C · 20 cm (temperature · pan diameter) for . The pan must be very hot for the batter to puff dramatically.
oven
Whisk the eggs, milk, flour, sugar, half the cardamom, vanilla and salt vigorously for about a minute, until you have a thin batter with no lumps; 10 seconds in a blender works too. Leave it while the oven heats.
Add in this stepEggs (room temperature) 2Whole milk (room temperature) 120 mlPlain (all-purpose) flour 60 gSugar 2 tspGround cardamom 0.4 tspVanilla extract ½ tspSalt 1 pinch
Core the apples and slice them 3 mm thin. Melt about two-fifths of the butter in another pan, add the apples, brown sugar and the rest of the cardamom, and cook over medium heat for , until soft and glossy.
Add in this stepApples 1Butter 10 gLight brown sugar 2 tspGround cardamom 0.4 tsp
medium heat
With oven gloves, take out the hot skillet (the handle is extremely hot), add the remaining butter and swirl until melted. Pour in the batter at once and return it to the oven for . Don't open the door until the edges have puffed high and turned deep golden.
Add in this stepButter 15 g
oven
As soon as it comes out, pile the apples in the centre, dust with icing sugar, dot with spoonfuls of raspberry jam and serve straight away. It sinks within minutes, so take your photo while it's tall.
Add in this stepIcing (powdered) sugar 1 tbspRaspberry jam 2 tbsp

Cook's tip

Cold eggs and milk mean less puff, so take them out 30 minutes ahead. Pan size matters: a bigger pan gives a thinner, crisper pancake, a smaller one a thicker, custardy middle. Pears are lovely instead of apples.

Cooking it at camp

Heat a Dutch oven thoroughly on coals with plenty of coals on the lid, add the butter and batter and bake with strong heat top and bottom for 15–20 minutes. It won't rise as high as in an oven but turns out fluffy. Keep the batter in a jar in the cooler and just shake before pouring.