The aebleskiver pan is crucial to the process. A centuries-old tool that is said to have originated in Denmark, it helps turn the light batter into fluffy little balls. Traditional recipes suggest separating the egg, so the trick at home in order to avoid a deflated ball is to serve them straight out of the pan (many of the restaurants in Solvang, California, tend to use a premixed batter that doesn’t require separating the eggs so that the dish lasts longer on shelves).

This recipe comes from the Solvang Restaurant and its former owner Arne Hansen, who since retiring from the restaurant has spent his life dedicated to these pancake balls. Affectionately known as “Mr. Aebleskiver,” Hansen sells aebleskiver pans, batter mixes, and jams online. Jeff Paaske took over operations from Hansen more than three decades ago, but the original aebleskiver recipe—and Hansen’s own cast-iron aebleskiver pan—hasn’t changed.