Emperor’s pancake – Kaiserschmarrn

This summer is shaping to be one of the best I can remember in the last 30 years! It is kind of funny because the spring was terrible, with us wearing jackets until about mid June. It felt like cold simply wouldn’t go away. And then once the sun poked its head out, it kept going strong for the following two months with hardly any rain in between. It was wonderful! Even now, mid September, although the temperature dropped off noticeably, we still have long stretches of 5-6 days with blue skies and sun shining. Love it!

It is a plum season, and in that spirit, that is what I have been baking with almost exclusively. Today that was Emperor’s pancake or Kaiserschmarrn as it is known in Austria, where the recipe originates from. It is an amazing breakfast recipe, very much in tune with Canadian pancake breakfast, except there is no maple syrup for flavoring. Instead that is a fruit compote: plums cooked with lemon juice, lemon zest and pinch of cinnamon and ground cloves. It pears perfectly with this rustic looking, light and fluffy pancake!

The recipe is again one of those over 100 years old, which is not unusual when it comes from Austria.  It has been said that this is the dish that was first time prepared for the Austrian Emperor Francis Joseph I (1830–1916) and was his favorite.

I adapted the recipe from my favorite dessert recipes book: “Kaffeehaus – Exquisite Desserts from the Classic Cafés of Vienna, Budapest and Prague”. There has not been a single “bad recipe” from this book yet, and I am looking forward making them all in due time.

The trickier part of the recipe is flipping the large pancake quarters, while the top part is still uncooked and runny. It may feel little messy at first, but just remember how the pancake looks at the end: odd shaped pieces of various sizes, like a torn or shredded pancake. At the end it will all work out fine, the messy part is intrinsic to the recipe!

Sprinkle with confectioner’s sugar and serve warm immediately after cooking!

Guten Appetit!

Print Recipe

Emperor's pancake - Kaiserschmarrn

Shredded pancakes served with roasted plums!

Course

Bake, Breakfast, Dessert

Cuisine

Austrian

Keyword

pancakes, plums

Prep Time

20 minutes

Cook Time

12 minutes

Servings

servings

Ingredients

Roasted Plums

• 500 g Italian prune plums pitted and quartered lengthwise
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 lemon organic lemon zest
• 1 pinch ground cinnamon
• 1 pinch ground cloves

Pancakes

• 1/3 cup raisins
• 2 tbsp golden rum or water
• 4 large eggs separated
• 3 tbsp granulated sugar
• 1/8 tsp cream of tartar
• 1 cup organic milk
• 2 tbsp melted unsalted butter
• 1 cup flour
• 1 pinch fine sea salt

Additional Items

• 1 12" non stick skillet
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter divided, for pancake cooking
• confectioner's sugar for sprinkling

Course Bake, Breakfast, Dessert Cuisine Austrian Keyword pancakes, plums Prep Time 20 minutes Cook Time 12 minutes Servings servings Ingredients Roasted Plums 500 g Italian prune plums pitted and quartered lengthwise 1/4 cup granulated sugar 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice 1/2 lemon organic lemon zest 1 pinch ground cinnamon 1 pinch ground cloves Pancakes 1/3 cup raisins 2 tbsp golden rum or water 4 large eggs separated 3 tbsp granulated sugar 1/8 tsp cream of tartar 1 cup organic milk 2 tbsp melted unsalted butter 1 cup flour 1 pinch fine sea salt Additional Items 1 12" non stick skillet 2 tbsp unsalted butter divided, for pancake cooking confectioner's sugar for sprinkling

Instructions

Roasted Plums

1. In a medium size sauce pan combine together plums, sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, cinnamon and cloves. Cover the pan and over medium heat, (5 out of 10) brig to simmer. Stir occasionally and cook for about 10 minutes or until plums are tender, but still hold their shape.

   
2. Take off the heat, cover and keep warm.

Pancakes

1. In a small sauce pan mix together golden rum and raisins. Over medium heat (5 out of 10) bring to simmer, take off heat and set aside. Note: drain off the rum before using for baking the pancake.
2. With hand held mixer on high speed, in a medium size mixing bowl beat the egg yolks and sugar until thick and light in color.

   
3. Mix in the milk following with melted butter, salt and flour. Mix until there are no lumps, do not overbeat!
4. In a separate medium size mixing bowl, using clean beaters, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar until soft peaks form.
5. Add about 1/4 of egg whites to the egg yolk bowl and stir to lighten it up.
6. Fold in the rest of the egg whites to finish off making a pancake batter.
7. Over medium heat (5 out of 10) heat up 12" non-stick skillet with 1 tbsp of butter.
8. Pour half of the batter into the skillet, sprinkle with 1/2 of drained raisins. Cook until the underside is golden brown and the pancake is starting to set around the edges, about 3 minutes.

   
9. Although the top of batter is still uncooked, using a heat proof plastic spatula cut the pancake in quarters. Flip each quarter over. They will be likely difficult to turn, fall on each other etc. Don't worry, just slide them back in skillet. If necessary use another plastic spatula or your other hand to make it easier to turn.

   
10. Using the edge of the spatula, cut the pancake quarters in bite size pieces (~1"x 2"). Keep turning pieces as necessary and cook until golden brown, about 3 more minutes.

    
11. Transfer to the large serving plate, sprinkle with sifted confectioners’ sugar.
12. Repeat the same process with the other half of the batter.
13. Serve immediately with roasted plums as a side.

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