VegetarianAlpine Italian cuisine Desserts

Kaiserschmarrn

Name: Kaiserschmarrn
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Alpine Italian
Ingredients: 4 large Eggs; 150 g Plain flour; 250 ml Whole milk; 40 g caster sugar; 50 g sultanas; 40 g Unsalted butter; 1 pinch fine salt; 2 tbsp icing sugar; 150 g lingonberry jam

A fluffy, torn sweet Alpine pancake studded with rum-soaked sultanas, dusted with icing sugar and served alongside tart wild lingonberry jam.

🇮🇹Italy· Trentino-Alto Adige

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 15 min
Total: 30 min
Servings: 4
Difficulty: Easy
Calories: 480 kcal

Ingredients

0 of 9 gathered

Servings

4 large Eggs — separated into whites and yolks
150 g Plain flour — sifted
250 ml Whole milk — at room temperature
40 g caster sugar — divided into two equal parts
50 g sultanas — soaked in 2 tbsp dark rum or warm water
40 g Unsalted butter — divided for frying and caramelising
1 pinch fine salt — for whipping egg whites
2 tbsp icing sugar — for dusting
150 g lingonberry jam — known locally as Preiselbeermarmelade, or use cranberry jam

Equipment

•large ovenproof frying pan
•electric hand whisk
•mixing bowls
•silicone spatula
•two forks

Nutrition

Per serving, approximate

Calories: 480 kcal
fat: 18 g
carbs: 68 g
fibre: 2 g
protein: 12 g
calories: 480 kcal

Instructions

1
Soak the sultanas in rum or warm water for 15 minutes, then drain thoroughly.
2
Whisk the egg yolks, milk, flour and 20g of caster sugar together in a bowl until smooth.
3
Whisk the egg whites with a pinch of salt in a clean bowl until stiff peaks form.
4
Gently fold the whipped egg whites into the yolk batter with a spatula until just combined.
5
Melt half the butter in a large heavy-based frying pan over medium-low heat.
6
Pour in the batter, scatter the drained sultanas evenly across the top, and cover with a lid.
7
Cook for 4 minutes until the bottom is golden brown and the top begins to set.
8
Cut the pancake into quarters with your spatula and flip each piece over.
9
Tear the pancake pieces into rough, bite-sized shreds using two forks directly in the pan.
10
Scatter over the remaining sugar and butter, tossing the shreds for 2 minutes to caramelise.
11
Dust generously with icing sugar and serve immediately with a bowl of tart lingonberry jam.

Chef's tips

Whip the egg whites to firm peaks and fold them in gently to keep the pancake exceptionally light and soufflé-like. Do not skip caramelising the torn pieces with extra butter and sugar at the end, as this creates the signature crisp edges.

Ingredient substitutions

lingonberry jam (Preiselbeeren) → tart wild cranberry jam or traditional stewed apple compote (Apfelmus)
dark rum → warm apple juice or water for soaking the sultanas

Storage

Kaiserschmarrn must be eaten fresh from the pan; leftover shredded pancake rapidly loses its airy texture and becomes dense.

Reheating

If necessary, toss briefly in a hot buttered skillet for one minute to revive crispness.

Common mistakes to avoid

•Deflating the whipped egg whites by beating the batter aggressively instead of folding gently.
•Cooking over excessive heat, which burns the bottom before the centre has cooked through.
•Cutting the pancake with a knife into neat squares instead of roughly shredding it with forks.

Serving suggestions

Serve hot straight from the skillet alongside chilled lingonberry jam and apple compote.Enjoy as a mountain lunch accompanied by a glass of cold fresh milk or herbal mountain tea.