Kaiserschmarrn — Print Recipe — The Culinary Codex

A fluffy, torn pancake caramelized in butter and sugar, dusted with powdered sugar and served with warm plum compote — a dessert fit for an emperor.

Ingredients

150g all-purpose flour
200ml milk
4 eggs, separated
30g sugar
Pinch of salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
40g raisins (optional, soaked in rum)
40g butter
2 tbsp sugar for caramelizing
Powdered sugar for dusting
Zwetschgenröster (plum compote) for serving

Instructions

1 Whisk egg yolks with milk, flour, vanilla, and a pinch of salt until smooth.
2 Beat egg whites with sugar until stiff peaks form. Gently fold into the batter.
3 Melt half the butter in a large oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Pour in the batter, scatter raisins on top.
4 Cook until the bottom sets, about 3 min. Place under a hot broiler or in a 200°C oven for 5 min until puffed and golden.
5 Tear the pancake into rough pieces with two forks. Add remaining butter and sugar, toss until caramelized and golden.
6 Dust generously with powdered sugar and serve immediately with warm plum compote.

Did You Know?

Legend says Kaiserschmarrn was created for Emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria when his cook failed to flip a pancake — the "ruined" result became the emperor's favorite dessert.