Kaiserschmarrn
Kaiserschmarrn — literally "the Emperor's mess" — is named after Emperor Franz Joseph I, though the exact story of its origin remains one of Vienna's most repeated culinary legends: some say the court chef invented it for the Emperor, others that it was invented for a mountain hunter, and Franz Joseph later adopted it as his favorite dessert, demanding a larger portion than usually served. The word "Schmarrn" in Austrian German means something like "nonsense" or "mess" — a typically Viennese piece of self-deprecation referring to the dish's deliberately messy, unevenly torn appearance, in contrast with the elegance one might expect from an imperial dessert. The final texture depends crucially on not overfolding the beaten egg whites — too aggressive a motion knocks out the air and turns the thick pancake into a dense omelet instead of a light, fluffy one.
Fluffy pancake batter
A thick pancake batter, with stiffly beaten egg whites folded in separately, for fluffiness.
Baked thick, then torn into pieces
Baked as a single thick pancake, then coarsely torn into pieces with two forks right in the pan.
Caramelized in butter and sugar
The torn pieces are briefly fried again in butter with sugar, until they get golden, caramelized edges.
Plum compote or powdered sugar
Traditionally served with plum compote (Zwetschkenröster) or simply, with powdered sugar dusted on top.
Ingredients 4 servings
- 4 large eggs, separated
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 cup milk
- 1 cup flour
- A pinch of salt
- 1 tsp grated lemon zest
- 3 tbsp raisins (optional)
- 4 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp sugar, for caramelizing
- Powdered sugar, for serving
- Plum compote, for serving
How to make it
- 1SEPARATE THE EGGS: Separate the egg whites from the yolks into two large, clean bowls.
- 2Beat the yolks with half the sugar, until creamy and pale.
- 3ADD THE MILK AND FLOUR: Mix in the milk, then gradually fold in the flour, salt and lemon zest, until you get a smooth, lump-free batter.
- 4BEAT THE WHITES: Beat the egg whites into a stiff foam, gradually adding the rest of the sugar, until you get a glossy meringue with firm peaks.
- 5FOLD IN: Fold the beaten whites into the yolk batter, with gentle up-and-down motions, keeping as much air as possible.
- 6MELT THE BUTTER: Melt half the butter in a large nonstick pan over medium heat.
- 7Pour all the batter into the pan, sprinkle the raisins on top, and bake 3-4 minutes, until browned underneath.
- 8FLIP: Flip the thick pancake, whole or in two halves, and bake another 2-3 minutes on the other side.
- 9TEAR INTO PIECES: With two forks, tear the thick pancake into uneven pieces, right in the pan.
- 10CARAMELIZE: Add the rest of the butter and the sugar over the pieces, frying and gently tossing 2-3 minutes, until the edges caramelize and turn golden.
- 11SERVE: Serve immediately, dusted with powdered sugar, alongside plum compote.
Nutritional info
per serving (~350 g)
Estimated nutritional values.
Pairs perfectly with
