What is the function of this shallow, 19-divoted, eared cast iron piece?
This piece was given to me a few years back by someone who picked it up at an estate sale. At the time I cleaned it up, re-seasoned it, and promptly forgot about it.
At first blush I thought maybe it was an escargot pan, but on further attention the divots seemed too shallow; each of the 19 holds approximately 1/2 t to 3/4 tbs (7-11 ml). There are no discernible markings on the reverse nor the ears to give me anything to work with.
Someone said it might be an Æbleskiver pan, or a drop muffin pan, but in comparison with the samples I have on hand I don't believe it to be so. The divots on this pan are shallower and the bottoms are relatively flat (disc-shaped rather than hemispherical).
Does anyone one know what the purpose of this cast iron piece? Is it even a piece of cookware?
Best Answer
They look like the Dutch "mini pancake" pans... they're used to make poffertjes.
There are nearly identical pans on sale here.
The Wikipedia article talks about them more specifically:
Poffertjes are a traditional Dutch batter treat. Resembling small, fluffy pancakes, they are made with yeast and buckwheat flour. Unlike American pancakes, they have a light, spongy texture. Typically, poffertjes are served with powdered sugar and butter, and sometimes syrup or advocaat.
And an image from a recipe page:
Pictures about "What is the function of this shallow, 19-divoted, eared cast iron piece?"
What is the function of a cast-iron skillet?
Cast iron pans and dutch ovens can be used for frying and baking foods to perfection. When properly seasoned they are terrific for non-stick cooking on top of the stove as well as baking in the oven. Cast iron pots are heavy but it is worth the extra muscle power it takes to use them.What do the numbers on cast iron mean?
Ever wonder what that number on the handle of your cast-iron skillet means? It's not, as you might think, the size of the pan. The number actually refers to the diameter of the pan in inches across the bottom of the pan, not across its flared top, which is the industry standard way to measure skillet size.Can cast iron catch on fire?
The main reason cast iron skillets catch fire is due to cooking on high heat. You should not cook with your cast iron skillet on high heat or over a flame or electric coil. Cooking with water can also cause a buildup of steam in your skillet, which could lead to overheating and ignition of oil or fat.Equipment Review: The Best Traditional \u0026 Enameled Cast-Iron Skillets / Pans \u0026 Our Testing Winners
More answers regarding what is the function of this shallow, 19-divoted, eared cast iron piece?
Answer 2
That pan is identical to the one used to make a Thai dessert that is made out of a coconut mixture. I live in Thailand and see them almost every day. It is called Kanom Krok and is very popular throughout Thailand.
Answer 3
This kind of pan seems to be used in many cuisines. In addition to the Dutch poffertjes, and the thai desert mentioned in another answer, an identical pan is used to make a south Indian dish called Puddu or Paniyaram. From the Wikipedia article:
Paddu or Kuzhi paniyaram is an Indian dish made by steaming batter using a mould. The batter is made of black lentils and rice and is similar in composition to the batter used to make idli and dosa.2 The dish can be made sweet or spicy depending on the ingredients jaggery and chillies respectively.
There is also a Japanese dish made in a similar pan. Again, from Wikipedia:
Takoyaki is a ball-shaped Japanese snack made of a wheat flour-based batter and cooked in a special takoyaki pan. It is typically filled with minced or diced octopus (tako), tempura scraps (tenkasu), pickled ginger, and green onion
Answer 4
In Norway this would be used to make munker, although a smaller 7 hole variant is vastly more common.
Answer 5
Although the others answers do look convincing, I suppose it could also be used to produce a varient of Blinis, which I just learned is a bad translation from Russian for other markets. But they look like
Answer 6
Being from the Netherlands I'd say a poffertjes pan (mini pancakes indeed).
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Images: Erik Mclean, Milan, Erik Mclean, Pixabay