A Danish Christmas

Steps

1. Whisk the flour, sugar, cardamom, baking soda and salt in a large bowl.
2. In a second bowl, whisk the egg yolks, buttermilk, melted butter and lemon zest, if using. Pour them into the flour mixture and whisk just until smooth.
3. In a clean bowl, beat the egg whites with a hand mixer until they hold stiff peaks. Gently fold them into the batter in two additions, keeping as much air in it as you can. Let the batter rest while the pan heats, about 15 minutes.
4. Set an æbleskiver pan over medium heat until a drop of water sizzles in the wells, 3 to 5 minutes. Put about 1/2 teaspoon of butter in each well.
5. Fill each well about three-quarters full. Cook until the edges look set and the bottoms are golden brown, about 2 minutes.
6. With a turning stick, a wooden skewer or a fork, give each one a quarter turn, so the browned side tips up and the loose batter runs down into the well. Cook about 1 minute, then turn again. Keep turning until each one is a golden ball and a skewer poked into the center comes out clean, 3 to 4 minutes more.
7. Move them to a plate and keep them warm under a clean dish towel or in a low oven.
8. Butter the wells again and cook the rest of the batter the same way. If the outsides brown before the centers cook, turn the heat down a little.
9. Serve warm. Dip each one in jam, then in powdered sugar, the way Danes do, or dust them with powdered sugar and top them with raspberry jam.