Let’s allow ourselves to destroy a regular pancake and make a Kaiserschmarrn, called "trhanec" in Czech! I guarantee you’ll enjoy this sweet treat a lot. Curious? Then hurry up to the kitchen!
What Is Kaiserschmarrn
Kaiserschmarrn is a sweet Austrian dessert made with raisins. It resembles a big soft pancake, torn into bite-sized pieces while being fried in the pan. Then, the fried chips are served on a plate and dusted with powdered sugar.
Kaiserschmarrn is popular in Austria and across the whole of Central Europe, like south Germany (Bavaria), Slovenia, or Hungary.
We know this sweet delicacy as “trhanec” or “císařský trhanec” here in the Czech Republic.
Meaning
The name Kaiserschmarrn consists of two German words: Kaiser and Schmarrn. Kaiser means Emperor, Schmarrn could be translated as a failure, something that didn’t quite work.
You see, both words describe exactly what a Kaiserschmarrn is – a shredded pancake!
History
You may wonder why I am introducing an Austrian dish here on a blog with Czech recipes. But trust me, it makes sense!
The Czech lands were a part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire until 1918. Therefore, Czech cuisine has a lot in common with the Austrian one. Besides Kaiserschmarrn, great examples are also traditional apple strudel or Wiener schnitzel.
And how did Kaiserschmarrn come to be?
According to one legend, it was prepared by the Empress Elisabeth of Austria (1854–1898) herself when she failed to flip the pancake and tore it into pieces.
Another legend says that the Kaiserschmarrn was prepared by a farmer who unexpectedly had the imperial couple over for lunch. Nervously, he shredded the pancake into several smaller pieces and, to cover his mistake, spread plum jam on it.
Nowadays, you can enjoy Kaiserschmarrn mostly in Viennas cafés. Also the Austrian alpine huts have this delicacy traditionally ready for the hikers and skiers on their menus.
In Czech restaurants, this sweet is not so common. If you’re lucky, you’ll find it under the name “trhanec”.
Ingredients
You can prepare Kaiserschmarrn from a few basic ingredients that you probably have in your cupboard at home.
- All-purpose flour
- Eggs; with the yolk and white separated
- Milk
- Unsalted butter; 2x1 Tbsp, each tablespoon for frying of one pancake's side
- Salt
- A handful of raisins, soaked in brown rum ahead (optional)
- Granulated sugar
- Powdered sugar; for the final icing
- Jam for serving
Instructions
The batter for Kaiserschmarrn is straightforward. You only need a 10-inch (25 cm) non-stick pan with a properly fitting lid.
STEP 1: Sift the flour mixed with salt into a bowl. In a clean bowl, whisk the milk, granulated sugar, and egg yolks. Stir the egg mixture into the flour until a pancake batter is created. Let it rest for 15 minutes.
STEP 2: Meanwhile, whip the egg whites into stiff snow and then gently fold them into the batter.
STEP 3: In a large frying pan (with a lid), melt 1 Tbsp butter over medium heat. Pour in the batter and sprinkle with raisins.
STEP 4: Cover with the lid, wait until the underside is browned, then use two forks to tear the thick pancake into bite-sized pieces. At this point, add the 2nd Tbsp butter to the pan. Flip the shredded pieces and fry them until golden.
Serving
Serve dusted with powdered sugar as a dessert or a light lunch. If you want, you can add a bowl of good jam.
Cook’s Tip
- The Kaiserschmarrn pancake should be about 1-inch high. If the batter layer is higher, the bottom will be cooked through, while the middle will still be runny.
- It is important to fry the pancake over medium heat. If you turned the heat too high, Kaiserschmarrn would be burnt downside. Be patient, please!
More Czech sweets:
- Loupáčky – sweet crescent rolls with poppy seeds
- Bábovka – marble bundt cake
- Kolache – authentic Czech!
Kaiserschmarrn Recipe
Equipment
- a 10-inch non-stick pan
Ingredients
- 1 cup (130 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 eggs (with the yolk and white separated)
- 1 cup (240 ml) milk
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 Tbsp granulated sugar
- handful raisins (optionally soaked in rum ahead)
- pinch of salt
- powdered sugar (for the final icing)
- jam (for serving)
Instructions
- Sift the flour mixed with salt into a bowl. In a clean bowl, whisk the milk, granulated sugar, and egg yolks. Stir the egg mixture into the flour until a pancake batter is created. Let it rest for 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, whip the egg whites into stiff snow and then gently fold them into the batter.
- In a large frying pan (with a lid), melt 1 Tbsp butter over medium heat. Pour in the batter and sprinkle with raisins on the surface.
- Cover with the lid, wait until the underside is browned, then use two forks to tear the thick pancake into bite-sized pieces. At this point, add the 2nd Tbsp butter to the pan. Flip the shredded pieces and fry them until golden.
Notes
- Makes 2 portions.
- Serve dusted with powdered sugar as a dessert or a light lunch. If you want, you can add a bowl of good jam.
- The Kaiserschmarrn pancake should be about 1-inch high. If the batter layer is higher, the bottom will be cooked through, while the middle will still be runny.
- It is important to fry the pancake over medium heat. If you turned the heat too high, Kaiserschmarrn would be burnt downside. Be patient, please!
DISCLAIMER: Because I come from Central Europe, my recipes are based on metric units such as grams or milliliters. Check out how I convert metric units to the U.S. system:
Conversion chart
Linda
Aren't these called palacinke?
Petra Kupská
Ahoj Linda, thank you for your comment. Palacinke, or palačinky (plural), are a bit different. They are ultra-thin fried in one piece, you do not tear them into pieces, at least not intentionally. The finished palačinka (singular) is then spread with different fillings, typically with jam in the Czech. You can roll the filled palačinka or simply fold it. In short, palačinky are similar to French-style pancakes. I hope this helps. Best wishes from the Czech Republic, Petra
Kristena
I want to try this! You know, my Czech relatives on both my mom and dad's side came to the US during Austro-Hungarian rule. Some of their immigration documents say "Austria" eventhough they were clearly Bohemian.
Petra Kupská
Ahoj Kristena, I'm sure you'll be pleased! Kaiserschmarrn is a German word, German is the official language in Austria. If your ancestors came from South Moravia (part of the Czech Republic), it is very likely that their immigration documents mentioned Austria! South Moravia and Austria are adjacent to each other. Otherwise, the Austro-Hungarian monarchy broke up in 1918 when the independent Czechoslovak Republic was formed. Czechs and Slovaks lived in one state until 1992 when they split into two separate countries. By the way, the formation of Czechoslovakia is dated 28 October, so next week is a public holiday!