Austrian Kaiserschmarrn {torn pancakes}

This article is also available in German.

Kaiserschmarrn (or Kaiserschmarren) is an Austrian dessert also known by the names Emperor's Mess, scrambled pancake, shredded pancake, torn pancake, or Emperor's Pancake.

This easy Kaiserschmarrn recipe is made without raisins in under an hour. Its fluffy, pancake-like texture and sweet taste will make your heart beat faster!

You can prepare torn pancakes in their traditional version, with raisins added to the thick pancake batter. Fry them in a pan, and then cut them into pieces or, just as they are called, torn apart and served dusted with powdered sugar.

The traditional Austrian dish is famous as a sweet main course or as a dessert. Those who visited Austria may have tried this treat at least once.

Serve them traditionally with roasted plums, apricot compote, or apple compote.

🥘 Ingredients

• Unsalted butter or oil
• Eggs - medium-sized
• All-purpose flour
• Milk - whole milk. It can be substituted with a plant-based alternative.
• Salt
• Granulated sugar
• Powdered sugar - for sprinkling
• Optional: raisins and rum

See the recipe card for quantities.

🔪 Instructions

Step 1

First of all, separate the eggs into two large mixing bowls. First, pick up the mixing bowl with the egg yolks and add the milk, a pinch of salt, and sugar.

Mix the ingredients until they form a thick mixture.

Now sprinkle in the flour, constantly stirring until a dough mixture forms. If the dough becomes too thick, you can stretch it by adding milk. However, if the dough is too thin, add a little flour.

Step 2

Now beat the egg whites in the second separate bowl until stiff, and then fold them into the dough mixture.

Step 3

Now it's time to pan-fry the dough. You will need two large frying pans for the amount of batter. Put a tablespoon of butter or oil in each pan and let it get hot.

Pour the batter evenly between the two pans and fry over medium heat. Be careful not to turn the heat up too hot, or your emperor's pancake will burn and won't taste good.

Once the dough is golden brown on the bottom, divide the pancake into quarters and turn them over in the pan.

Now fry the other side until it is golden brown, and pull the dough into small pieces.

Step 4

Stir the scrambled pancakes a few more times to ensure that all the pieces are golden brown.

Sprinkle some powdered sugar over the Kaiserschmarrn in the pan and let it caramelize.

Divide the finished Schmarrn onto plates. Dust with powdered sugar and serve with apple compote (Zwetschgenröster - aka roasted plums or apricot compote).

Enjoy your traditional Austrian meal!

🇦🇹 Fancy more traditional Austrian Recipes?

• Tafelspitz (Austrian prime boiled beef)
• Apfelkren (Austrian apple horseradish sauce)
• Schnittlauchsauce (Chives Sauce)
• Erdäpfelschmarrn (Austrian grated pan-fried potatoes)
• Kandierte Veillchen mit Sekt (Candied violets with sparkling wine)
• Liptauer (Liptauer cheese spread)

🍇 Variations

Variation with rum and raisins. Spice up the emperor's pancake dough with a shot of rum and raisins if you fancy.

Add a shot of rum and 50-100g of raisins to the batter right before step 2.

That is before you whip the egg whites and fold them into the batter.

🍽 Equipment

• Two frying pans - ideally with a non-stick coating
• Food processor or electric mixer
• Two large mixing bowls
• Two spatulas

🌡 Storage

Kaiserschmarrn can be stored in the refrigerator for one to two days, packed in an airtight container.

You can also freeze the shredded pancakes. Let it cool entirely after frying (without sprinkling it with powdered sugar) and put them in a Ziplock bag. Let the air out as much as possible and freeze afterward. This way, the delicious Kaiserschmarrn will keep for several months. It loses a tad of its fluffiness by freezing but is still very tasty.

🙋🏻 FAQ

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📖 Recipe

⛑️ Food Safety

• Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
• Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
• Wash hands after touching raw meat
• Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
• Never leave cooking food unattended
• Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
• Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove

For further information, check Safe Food Handling - FDA.