Aebleskiver

Ingredients

• 250g plain flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 2 tbsp caster sugar
• 0.5 tsp fine salt
• 1 tsp ground cardamom
• Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
• 3 eggs, separated
• 400ml buttermilk
• 50g butter, melted and cooled, plus more for the pan
• Icing sugar and raspberry jam, to serve

Before you cook

• Separate the eggs into two clean bowls, keeping the whites free of any yolk.
• Whisk the flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, cardamom and lemon zest together in a large bowl.
• Melt the butter and let it cool so it does not cook the eggs.
• Set out a knitting needle, a wooden skewer or a chopstick for turning.

Steps

1. Whisk the egg yolks into the buttermilk along with the melted butter.
2. Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and whisk just until smooth.
3. Rest the batter for 15 minutes so the flour hydrates.
4. Whip the egg whites to soft peaks in a clean bowl.
5. Fold a third of the whites into the batter to loosen it, then fold in the rest in two goes, keeping as much air as you can.
6. Set the aebleskiver pan over medium-low heat and let it come up to temperature for 3 minutes.
7. Drop a small knob of butter into each hollow and let it foam.
8. Fill each hollow with batter almost to the rim.
9. Cook for about 2 minutes until the edges look set and dry and the base is golden.
10. Slide the needle down the inside edge of one ball and rotate it a quarter turn, letting raw batter run down into the hollow.
11. Give it another 30 seconds, then turn it a further quarter turn and repeat until the ball is closed and round.
12. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes in total, rolling each ball now and then, until it feels light and springs back when pressed.
13. Lift the aebleskiver out onto a warm plate and cook the next batch with fresh butter.
14. Dust generously with icing sugar and serve with raspberry jam for dipping.