The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

unknown cast iron pan/griddle

Franko's picture
Franko

unknown cast iron pan/griddle

My wife and I just got back from a little trip down the Washington coast, staying in Long Beach Washington for a few nights. On one of the days we decided to go into Oregon and and down the coast as far as Tillamook. While we were in Tillamook we stopped at the famous (in these parts) Tillamook Country Dairy. It's quite an operation they've got there with a large gift shop and restaurant in addition to self-guided tours. I wandered around the gift shop while my wife was sampling some of the cheese and came across this interesting pan. I figured I could use it for something even if I didn't know exactly what it's real purpose was. There didn't seem to be any posted info about it in the shop and the place was so busy I couldn't find anyone to answer my questions about it. So if any TFL members know what this is used for and have a recipe to go along with it, I'd greatly appreciate it.

Thanks All,

Franko

plevee's picture
plevee

For making apple dumplings. I don't have a recipe, but someone on the Loaf is sure to.

Patsy

Franko's picture
Franko

Thanks so much Patsy,

 I did a  search using 'Apfelskiver', and the pan I have matches the pan in the photo section of the search. The great thing about this pan I've learned so far is that I can do either apple dumplings or octopus dumplings in it. Who knew?

Thanks,

Franko

Pop N Fresh's picture
Pop N Fresh

I brought some back from Japan about seven years ago.  Check-out these vids:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V_m7U3DkElE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qzrf4dO_5os

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XIFGDN5dDdE

They can be made with anything.  Mmmmm.....

 

Robert

Franko's picture
Franko

 

Hi Robert,

Thanks for the your reply and the great vids.

I don't think this pan is originally intended for this use however. That's not to say I couldn't or wouldn't , but I'm after the real purpose of it's design. I appreciate your input though . As a lover of Japanese food I'm always open to learning yet another way that the Japanese have found to create the dishes that they do.

Many thanks,

Franko

Mini Oven's picture
Mini Oven
Franko's picture
Franko

Thanks Mini,

It looks like a good recipe but I was suprised to see there aren't any bits of apple or apple sauce in it. I did a bit more research and found this article on Wikipedia.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aebelskiver

 

I'll be trying the recipe and pan sometime in the coming week and I'll be sure to post the results.

Franko

fishers's picture
fishers

A friend of mine in upstate NY used this very type of pan (on stove top) to make something that resembles apfelskiver. They turn out to be a puffy ball, somewhat crossed between a doughnut and a pancake. Sweet dough. She served preserves, powdered sugar and syrup along with them. I remember she flipped them in the pan with a long wooden skewer.

jlewis30's picture
jlewis30

I would have thought eggs...

amauer's picture
amauer

has "apple skiver" pans and mixes. ebelskiver, aebleskiver, ableskiver. They are Danish and in our area, Norwegian and Swedish make them as well, so no apfel as in German.

http://www.preparedpantry.com/aebleskiver-pannekoeken-plett-pans.aspx

Use the aebleskiver to search for recipes. In MN they are made in the fall, but also in the summer to celebrate in July in small towns, especially Tyler MN,"Aebleskiver Days!"

I can see where they would work great for Asian sweet breads.

Andrea

EvaB's picture
EvaB

the shopping tv stuff, they were called puff pancakes and my DD bought one for her boyfreind (now husband so it must have worked) although hers isn't cast, I would love to own one, but so far haven't had the cash!

Pancakes are not good for diabetics, but hey, once in awhile isn't bad! Can you imagine using nice fresh fruit (its getting to be fruit season here) in a puffed pancake! YUM!!!

Franko's picture
Franko

This one cost about $14.00. If it hadn't of been out of budgeted vacation $'s I doubt I would have sprung for it.

jlewis30's picture
jlewis30

Pancakes make me very sick as well (Blood Glucose goes mental). When I have that mood on I do crepes or a dutch baby (which is like baking crepe batter), it maintains the deliciousness with a lot less white flour.

Mini Oven's picture
Mini Oven

ahead of time or in sourdough starter.  That should take the "edge" off the carb rush.

fishers's picture
fishers

has great pictures along with recipe.  Maybe someone could copy picture ........

Franko's picture
Franko

 That's excellent! Thanks fishers. For anyone else following this thread and interested in what the process and technique for making aebleskiver's is this is the best tutorial so far. Link below:

http://northwestsourdough.wordpress.com/2007/11/17/sourdough-ableskivers/

 

PaddyL's picture
PaddyL

...at a garage sale last year, but mine is rectangular and the holes are smaller.  Thanks for the pictures!  It makes it much easier for me, knowing how they're supposed to look.

Franko's picture
Franko

Hi PaddyL,

Thanks to fisher for doing the legwork, we all get to know what these little dumplings are supposed to look like. Did you know when you bought it what it was for? I had no idea what it was, I just thought it was an interesting looking pan and I'm a sucker for kitchen stuff, particularly ovenware.

PaddyL's picture
PaddyL

No, I didn't have a clue what it was when I bought it, though I had a picture in my mind of some little round cakes I'd seen in an Australian cookbook and thought it might be for those.  It was only when I asked on the King Arthur site, and was told it was an abelskiver pan.  I still haven't used it, but will in the near future now I know how it's done.  I too am a sucker for kitchen gear, especially the odd-shaped pans that show up at garage sales.

fishers's picture
fishers

It was purely by chance that I came across this link when looking at the beautiful breads on Northwest Sourdough's site, as I do here, hoping to learn a thing or two (okay - I'm a bread voyeur!). 

... and you can call me Sharon.

Franko's picture
Franko

Thanks Sharon for the link, it's a good site. I guess we're all bread voyeurs to one degree or another.

amauer's picture
amauer

I was looking at the site as recommended by Larry for shaping of sourdough. Hers are wonderful! I am using her recipes later today. Have to restock on flour and make a run to town.

Muskie's picture
Muskie

I purchased one of these pans today in the hopes it will make the perfect container for Ciabatta rolls intended as hamburger buns. What do you think? Gives structure to the size and shape of the wet dough, and yet they can still rise as they like...

Franko's picture
Franko

I guess it depends on the size of ciabatta rolls you want. Myself I'd say the abelskiver pan would be too small for a decent size hamburger roll, for slider size...maybe. Nor do I think it'll give the right shape to the roll. My advice is to make the dough, cut long strips 3-4 inches wide from the dough, divide them into 80-120 gram portions,round them lightly, flour well and put them on silicone paper for an overnight retard before baking.

Franko

Muskie's picture
Muskie

I don't know how big you imagine your hamburgers, or how little you understand a ciabatta's oven spring, but...

Franko's picture
Franko

Hi Muskie,

Well it seems that all abelskiver pans are not created equal,the one you describe is considerably larger than the one I have. The pockets on mine measure just a little shy of 2 inches across.

Although we don't make ciabatta in the shop where I work I have had some experience with it over the years and am familiar with it's characteristics, including oven spring. It's the oven spring in fact that leads me to think a pan like this will promote a spherical shaped bun if ciabatta dough is used in it. That may be what you're looking for perhaps... At any rate I'd give it a try and see what happens, the worst case scenario being a product unsuitable for hamburgers but fine for other uses.

All the best,

Franko

Muskie's picture
Muskie

It should been here today, but alas, its not. But as soon as it is, I'll let you know the outcome (with pics).

Muskie's picture
Muskie

I received my Aebleskiver Pan today...and guess what, the individual spots are 2" like Franko said, the whole think is only 6.5" across. I'm very disappointed, but also sorry for trying to suggest I was getting something else. Y'all called it. Guess it will become my steamer.

Russ

Franko's picture
Franko

Hi Russ, 

No apologies necessary, I'm disappointed as well. I was looking forward to seeing what you could do with a larger pocket size pan. Such are the drawbacks to online shopping sometimes. Still, the pan is useful for much more than steaming, and abelskivers themselves are pretty tasty little round pancakes that can be filled with all kinds of good things. Something new to play around with, so have fun!

Best,

Franko 

Song Of The Baker's picture
Song Of The Baker

Hey Franko.  Just saw this post now.  Interestingly, we just recently started going over the border into Bellingham to do a regular stock up on some grocery items and Tillamook cheese is one of them!  LOVE the extra sharp cheddar.  Lucky you to have actually visited the dairy farm.

John

Franko's picture
Franko

Hey John how ya doing?

The Tillamook Dairy is like a Disneyland of cheese and ice cream, so many different types of each it's mind boggling. My favourite from there was a smoked black pepper cheddar. See if you can find some of that, you won't be disappointed.

Good to hear from you John,

PS we're off to San Francisco and the Napa in late April. Hoping to have a meal at Keller's Ad Hoc and visit his Bouchon Bakery as well. 

 

Song Of The Baker's picture
Song Of The Baker

Doing well thanks but busy as hell with business!

You lucky boy!  Just got back from SF a month ago.  If you eat at Keller's I will be one jealous SOB.  Not sure if you saw my SF post, but went to Tartine but it was closed on that very day!

Have a great time.  I will surely look out for the smoke black pepper cheddar.  Yum!

John

Mini Oven's picture
Mini Oven

a recipe for fish balls, made in a cake pop baking mould.  The pancake balls reminded me of them...  cute trick.  One more recipe to try in the ball shape:

Tilapia Tots