Oma's Kaiserschmarrn: Austrian Pancake Recipe – German Torn Pancakes (2024)

FAQs

What is Kaiserschmarrn made of? ›

Kaiserschmarren is a light, caramelized pancake made from a sweet batter using flour, eggs, sugar, salt, and milk, fried in butter.

The name means “imperial mess” in German. The story goes that a frazzled farmer created the dish in a tizzy when Austria's Emperor Franz Joseph and his wife showed up hungry at his home. As a last-ditch attempt to save face, the farmer shredded his disastrous pancake and topped it with sugar and marmalade.

“Without cream of tartar, the meringue wouldn't be as strong, which may result in pancakes that aren't as tall and fluffy as they could be,” she mentions. “Or you'd have a batter that weeps or begins to separate while it waits for its turn on the griddle.”

What is Kaiserschmarrn? Kaiserschmarrn is best described as scrambled sweet pancakes. The name is a compound of the German words Kaiser which means Emporer and Schmarrn which can be translated as “a scrambled dish”.

German pancakes and Dutch babies are essentially the same thing, but the dish is said to have originated in Germany, not the Netherlands. The term “Dutch baby” was coined by an American restaurateur whose use of “Dutch” was a corruption of the word “Deutsch” (“German” in German).

Serve with a plum or berry ragout, or fruit compote. The Kaiserschmarren can also be cooked at the top of the oven and caramelised at the end with a lid to cover.

Kaiserschmarrn is a sweet fluffy pancake, torn into small pieces, covered with powdered sugar and served with a fruit compote. You'll find this sweet treat at many Christmas markets and some restaurants, served as a dessert, not breakfast.

Why Didn't My Dutch Baby Puff Up? Like popovers and Yorkshire pudding, the thing that gives Dutch babies their signature puff is steam. In order for that steam to work the pancake into its signature peaks and valleys, you need two things: enough air in a well-developed batter and a piping-hot pan and oven.

If the pan isn't hot enough then the liquid does not heat up and create the steam quickly enough and so the flour will cook through and set before the pancake can rise. We suggest that you give the oven and skillet plenty of time to heat up thoroughly before adding the batter.

How are German Pancakes different than American Pancakes? German pancakes use a whole lot more eggs and no added leavening agent. German Pancakes are also baked in the oven to a golden perfection.

Does milk instead of water make pancakes better? ›

Can I Use Water Instead of Milk in Pancakes? Milk adds both flavor and texture to pancake batter, so if you are looking to make pancakes without milk, a simple swap to water doesn't always do the trick. For pancakes made without milk, you'll want to add some flavor through melted butter and vanilla extract.

Pancake lovers' biggest complaint when adding water instead of milk is that the flavor seems to change. Pancakes aren't as richly flavored with water. There are a few ways to improve your batter when you've used water, including: Add extra butter.

Without cream of tartar, you'll get the same baked good in the end, but the consistency may not be as flawless. If you're worried about your cake coming out too flat or your lemon meringue pie going runny, adding cream of tartar is an effective way to prevent it.

At their base okonomiyaki consist of flour, water, egg, and shredded cabbage which is mixed into a batter and cooked similar to a pancakes on a grill until both sides are golden brown, crispy and good! They are so easy to make!

The batter for Swedish pancakes contains a higher ratio of milk, butter, and eggs to flour, resulting in something that's lighter and fluffier than crêpes. Swedish pancakes are also traditionally served with jam (lingonberry or strawberry) and whipped cream, although these days, anything goes.