Ebleskivers with Carrot Cake Filling

Ingredients:

Filling

• 1/3 cup cream cheese, room temperature
• 3 tbsp. l. chopped pecans
• 3 tablespoons golden raisins
• 2 tbsp powdered sugar + extra for decoration

Pancakes

• 1 and 1/4 cups premium flour
• 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 0.5 tsp baking powder
• 0.5 tsp of soda
• 0.5 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
• 3/4 cup whole milk
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 2 large eggs (separate the whites from the yolks)
• 0.5 cup grated carrots
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• Special equipment: a frying pan for aebleskiver (preferably cast iron); a wooden skewer

Preparation:

1. Filling:
   
   Combine cream cheese, pecans, raisins, and powdered sugar in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
2. Pancakes:
   
   In a medium bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. In another medium bowl, combine the milk, sour cream, and egg yolks. Mix the yolk mixture with the flour until it forms a smooth batter, then fold in the carrots (the batter will be lumpy). Let the batter rest while you beat the egg whites.
3. Beat the egg whites in a separate medium bowl with a mixer until stiff peaks form, about 1 minute. Gently fold the egg whites into the batter.
4. Heat the aebleskiver pan over medium-high heat for 4 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low and generously grease the 4 wells with melted butter, making sure there's a little oil in the bottom of each well (it should barely sizzle when it hits the pan). Spoon about 1 tablespoon of batter into each well-greased well. Repeat the same process with butter and batter in the remaining 4 wells. Fry them in batches to prevent the butter from burning. Let the batter set slightly around the edges, about 30 seconds.
5. Carefully spoon about 1 teaspoon of filling into the center of each aebleskiver and gently press into the dough. Spoon about 1 tablespoon of dough over the filling to fill the wells. Cook until the pancakes are golden brown on the bottom, another 2.5 minutes.
6. Push the raw dough through the bottom of each aebleskiver with a wooden skewer to slowly flip it. Allow the raw dough to flow back into the hole to create a new crust. If the aebleskiver doesn't slide up easily or doesn't hold its shape, return it to its original position and let it set a little longer. Fry until golden brown on the bottom, another 2-3 minutes. Check the pancakes on all sides: if there are any pale spots, flip them over so the pale side is facing down and let them fry on the bottom for a few seconds. Remove the aebleskiver from the pan.
   
   
   The finished aebleskivers should be deep golden brown on all sides, and a skewer inserted deep into the pancakes (not into the filling) should come out clean. If some pancakes are frying much faster than others, rotate the pan occasionally to ensure even heat distribution.
7. Repeat with the remaining melted butter, dough, and filling. The pan will be significantly hotter for the second batch, so you may need to reduce the heat or remove the pan from the stove periodically to ensure even frying. Dust the aebleskivers with powdered sugar and serve warm.