Bella’s Blog Bash: Aunt Else’s Aebleskiver {review} + Giveaway

Ladies, I have found a new love.  And yes, I’ve introduced this new love of mine to my family.  They couldn’t help but also fall in love instantly.  Have I got you wondering yet? hehehe  I’m not talking about a new pet or anything.  I’m talking about a delicious, new pastry I got to try out recently called Aunt Else’s Aebleskivers.

Aebleskivers (pronounced EB-el-sku-wyr) are traditional  Danish pastries, and mean apple slices.  The taste is very much like a pancake, but they are round, like a ball.  Traditionally, they are baked with apple slices, but can be made to suit a variety of tastes, and can be topped off with syrup, jelly, or applesauce to name a few examples.

I received the Aunt Else’s Aebleskiver Starter Kit, which includes everything you need.  It comes with Aunt Else’s 9-Hole Cast Iron Aebleskiver Pan, which is locally made and includes a lifetime warranty.  It comes with a hot pad that fits right onto the handle of the cast iron pan.  Also included is one stainless steel chopstick, for turning your aebleskivers over.  And most importantly, it comes with Aunt Else’s Aebleskiver Mix.  The mix is a recipe that’s over 100 years old that has organic wheat flour, buttermilk, and sugar from the Mid-West.

This is what I received!

I have to be honest and admit, I’ve never used cast iron before.  I’m glad I read the instruction card that came with the kit, because I didn’t know anything about “seasoning” your cast iron pans before use.  Glad I didn’t listen to my hubby, because he told me just to heat it up!  So, for those who also don’t know, to season a cast iron pan, heat your oven to 400 degrees. Wash your pan with hot, soapy water, dry,  and rub vegetable oil lightly on all sides of your pan.  Place aluminum foil at the bottom of your oven to catch any drips. Place your cast iron pan on the top rack upside down, and let it bake for at least an hour.   You need to do this before you use your new pan.  After you have seasoned your pan, it is not recommended to use soap on it to clean it. Instead, use hot water and a stiff brush.  Then apply a light coat of oil while pan is still warm.

Now, on to the fun part! I am by no means a wonderful cook.  I do enough to keep my family happy, and pretty much taught myself most of what I know just by experimenting.  I did not grow up cooking, so I’ve just learned as a wife and mommy.  So, needless to say, aebleskivers were definitely something I was scared I was going to make into a disaster!  The ingredients are super easy-just the mix, eggs, and water mixed in a bowl.  Simple enough, right?  You need to put your aebleskiver pan on your stovetop and start getting it heated up.  The instructions say to put it on medium-low heat.  I have an electric stove, and ended up having mine about one notch under medium by the time I had really got the hang of it.  While your pan is heating, add about a dime to nickel size drop of vegetable oil in each well, and let that heat.

Check out the demo on how to make Aebleskiver’s…

Luckily the video was available to help teach me how to make these step by step!

When your pan and oil is nice and hot, its time to add your batter.  Pour the batter into each well until almost full, but leave a little bit of extra room for the pastry to expand. If you want to add a small piece of fruit for the middle, now would be the time to put it into the batter-filled well.  You have probably been wondering why a chopstick is included in the starter kit, and now is when you find out why, hehehe.  As the Aebleskiver begins to cook, you take your chopstick and insert it down through the pastry and pull up just enough to turn the Aebleskiver about a quarter turn.  Then after a couple of minutes, it will be ready for a second turn. Do this about 4 or 5 times, until you have a round pastry that browned all around.  You can make sure it is done by sticking a toothpick inside, and if it comes out clean, then it is done.  If the toothpick has crumbs on it, you will need to cook your Aebleskiver for a few more minutes.  I know that the part on turning the ball sounds pretty confusing.  I was actually pretty nervous about it myself.

Almost done!

Now that you are all finished cooking your Aebleskivers, you can now get creative.  I mentioned before a few of the toppings you can use.  On my first batch I did, I put powdered sugar on them.  OMG…it was Heaven!  It was just so yummy, almost like funnel cake, but actually better!  On my second batch, I wanted to do a more traditional way, so we just did a simple Aebleskiver with maple syrup.  My son said it was the best thing he has ever eaten in his life!  I’m not sure what that says about my cooking, hahaha, just kidding!  But really, they were very good, a lot like a pancake, but there was something still different that you just can’t quite explain.  Even my daughter liked them, and she doesn’t like anything!  We will definitely be making these again.

I actually really enjoyed making these.  It was fun!  Even though I was scared that I was going to mess them up terribly, I really didn’t do a bad job at all.  I think the video helped a lot.  I only had 2 of them that didn’t turn out, and that was because I didn’t put enough oil in the well, so the batter stuck so bad it would not turn with the chopstick.  Not bad for my first try, huh!  I also have to add that I am now a new fan of cast iron pans, and plan on getting a skillet now.

BUY IT!

The Aebleskiver Starter Kits are available for purchase from the Aunt Else’s website for $52.99 (Organic) or $55.99 (Gluten-free).

You can purchase the Aebleskiver mix individually for $9.99. The cast iron pans are available for $39.99.

In addition to the instructional video on the website, you’ll also find cooking tips, recipes, and more.  Go to www.auntelse.com to check it all out, and what’s even more awesome is that one of you lucky loves will get the chance to win one of these starter kits, just like I got!  I know you will enjoy it just as much as I did, and your family will enjoy eating it, just like mine!

Thumbs up for Aunt Else’s!

~~ One lucky reader will win Aunt Else’s Aebleskiver starter kit (ARV $52.99). ~~

Win It!!!

1 Winner will be chosen at random at the end of the entry period 11/19/10. Prize con­sists of Aunt Else’s Aebleskiver starter kit ($52.99 value).

***** MANDATORY entry: Visit Aunt Else’s and tell us one other item you would like to have.

ALSO you must be following our blog via Google Friend Connect, Facebook  OR Networked Blogs & provide us with your username(s) there in order to win.

When entering a giveaway, you must initially list all ways in which you are following our blog before you start tweeting or posting the giveaways on your Facebook wall. Please do not wait until the contest is midway through or ending in order to do so because the entries will no longer be valid.

*********

Extra Entries!

You can do any of these things for an extra entry. Make sure to leave a separate com­ment for EACH thing you do to increase your chances of winning.

** PLEASE make sure if you are following our blog that you specify by which means and what your username is there so we can verify you are following. If we can’t verify it the entry will not count. ** Please do not tell us you are following if you are not. We do verify the information. Thanks!

1.) Follow us via NetworkedBlogs.

2.) Follow our blog via Google Friend Connect. (5 extra entries)

3.) Follow Dee via Twitter @MyBellaMia

4.) Become a friend on Facebook (please leave me your face book username in a com­ment). Make sure you are “friending” via the link here (Bella-Mia, not Bella So Savvy).

5.) Place our button on your blog. Please comment below with your blog URL so we can verify button placement.

6.) Tweet about this giveaway. You can Tweet up to 3 times per day for extra entries but you must copy your status update URL and paste it in a comment below! Please space out your tweets so that your followers are not spammed. Maximum of 1 tweet per hour! Tweets posted more than once per hour (60 minutes) will become invalid. You can copy & paste:

Bella’s Blog Bash: #Win an Aunt Else’s Aebleskiver Starter Kit from Bella So Savvy http://www.bellasavvy.net/archives/12409 Ends 11/19

Or write about this giveaway on your Facebook wall ONE time per day & post a link to each post. You can do Facebook posts & tweets for a total of 4 entries per day as long as the posts are at least 1 hour (60 minutes) apart.

** Tweet & Facebook daily url entries will no longer be excepted if not posted on the give away page within 2 hours of initial Twitter or Facebook posting. Please post your url entries once they’re tweeted or posted on your Facebook wall so that we can confirm them as they are posted on the media sites. Please do not store up entries for days before posting them here because they will be deleted! **

*The retweet or post can be reworded but must include the ORIGINAL url link to the giveaway & must spell out that the prize is an Aunt Else’s Aebleskiver kit. If space does not allow for the original giveaway url link, please make sure that you add Bella So Savvy to your posts so that your followers know who is hosting the giveaway.

*Entries that do not include at least one verifiable piece of information will be deleted.

7.) Blog about the giveaway and include a link to my giveaway page. (post a link to the direct page of your blog post – your blog MUST have at least 25 followers in order to qual­ify for these entries) (3 extra entries)

8.) Refer your friends on Facebook and Twitter by telling them to check out BellaSoSavvy. Include a link to your referral post.

9.) Enter any of our other giveaways and come back and comment telling us which one(s) you entered. (1 entry per giveaway entered, excluding this one and giveaways that have ended.)

10.) Comment on a non-giveaway post and let us know which one below. (1 entry per comment)

11.) Subscribe to our email newsletter (must confirm subscription by clicking on the link in the email you receive upon subscribing or it doesn’t count as a giveaway entry).

12.) Follow Aunt Else’s on Facebook and tell them Bella So Savvy sent you.

Contest ends at 9pm. EST on November 19th when we will draw the winner at random. We will no longer email winners but post an announcement on Facebook, Twitter and here on the blog. Winner will have 24 hours to respond by sending their shipping info via the contact form here on Bella So Savvy or by email! If winner does not respond, an alternate winner will be chosen at random out of the remaining entries.

Open to the U.S. Only.

Please see Giveaway Rules for more information.

© 2010, LissaKate. All rights reserved.

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