Kaiserschmarrn (Emperor’s Mess)

There are endless myths and legends surrounding the origins of the Kaiserschmarrn. One such tale narrates that when imperial couple Sissi and Franz Joseph were served a sumptuous new pancake-style dish the figure-conscious Sissi refused to eat it, upon which an irritated Franz Joseph sighed, “Well, give me the Schmarrn!” The ‘mess’ in question turned out to be greatly to his liking and the rest, as they say, is history.

Whatever the truth may be, it makes no difference to the delectable Kaiserschmarrn. Over the years it has grown to become a well-established delicacy, and appears on practically every menu at mountain huts, restaurants and hotels. Traditionally served with jam or apple sauce, some adore it with raisins added to the batter while others prefer it without, but with a hefty sprinkling of icing sugar or a drizzle of eggnog

Alongside the traditional Kaiserschmarrn, the charming alpine pasture Martalm in Ridnaun serves visitors a very special variant: Their own home-picked blueberries are added to the batter, in a recipe that guarantees a mouthwateringly fruity treat. A top tip for all Emperor’s Mess fans!

Serves 2 (main course)

Preparation time: around 30 to 35 minutes

Ingredients for the batter:
200 g flour
300 ml milk
4 eggs
30 g sugar
A little vanilla sugar
1 pinch salt
if desired, raisins or blueberries 😉
Other ingredients:
30 g butter, to fry
Icing sugar, jam, apple sauce, compote, Nutella, eggnog, fruit – whatever you like best!

Method:
Separate the eggs and beat the yolks, vanilla sugar, sugar and a pinch of salt to a foamy consistency. Add the milk and beat once again. Sift in the flour gradually and beat until no lumps remain. Add raisins or blueberries to taste. Beat the egg whites to a stiff peak and fold into the batter. Melt the butter in a frying pan and pour the batter into the pan slowly. Cook each side at medium heat, until golden brown in colour. To finish, shred the pancake into bite-sized pieces with a fork, arrange on a plate and serve.

Enjoy your meal!
Recipe: Südtirol Kompakt