kaiserschmarrn (austrian pastry with strawberries)

Recipe by
Vickie Parks
Renton, WA

Kaiserschmarrn ('Emperor's Trifle') is a typical dessert in Viennese and Bavarian cuisines (though it's sometimes served as a main dish). It's named for Austrian emperor Kaiser Franz Joseph I, who was fond of this dish. There are dozens of different versions of this recipe. It's a caramelized pancake split into small pieces, dusted with powdered sugar, and served with a sweet plum sauce or baked fruit such as peaches, apples, cherries or berries. This one has rum-soaked raisins and is served with strawberry sauce. Next to Sachertorte, Kaiserschmarrn is one of Austria's most common desserts.

yield 4 as a dessert, or 2 as a main dish
prep time 20 Min
cook time 20 Min
method Pan Fry

Ingredients For kaiserschmarrn (austrian pastry with strawberries)

  • PASTRY
  • 3 Tbsp
    raisins
  • 3 Tbsp
    rum
  • 4 lg
    eggs, separated
  • 1 pinch
    salt
  • 1/2 tsp
    vanilla extract
  • 3 Tbsp
    granulated sugar
  • 1 5/8 c
    milk
  • 1 c
    cake flour (or regular all-purpose flour)
  • 1 to 2 Tbsp
    butter, for frying
  • confectioners' sugar, for dusting
  • WARM STRAWBERRY SAUCE
  • 1 lb
    fresh strawberries, hulled and quartered
  • 1/2 c
    granulated sugar
  • 1 Tbsp
    fresh lemon juice

How To Make kaiserschmarrn (austrian pastry with strawberries)

  • 1
    Place raisins in small microwave-safe bowl. Add rum to bowl, and microwave on High heat for 15 to 30 seconds. Set bowl aside to allow raisins to soak in rum for 20 minutes.
  • 2
    Beat egg whites to soft peaks, adding a pinch of salt towards the end.
  • 3
    In a separate bowl, beat egg yolks, vanilla and sugar until light yellow. Add milk and flour, a little at a time to avoid lumps. Fold in egg whites. Let the batter rest for about ten minutes.
  • 4
    Warm up a large frying pan (10 to 12 inches in diameter) and melt 1 to 2 tablespoons of butter in it.
  • 5
    Stir the batter again, gently, and pour all of the batter into hot pan. Sprinkle the raisins evenly over the top. Cover the pan and let the pancake cook for10 minutes over medium heat. Flip over (you may have to cut it into several portions to flip).
  • 6
    Cut or pull the pancake apart into bite size pieces while it continues to cook. When it is browned a bit, it is ready to serve.
  • 7
    To make the Strawberry Sauce: Add strawberries, sugar and lemon juice to a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Simmer the ingredients, mashing the strawberries slightly, for about 5 minutes or until the berries are soft and the sugar is completely dissolved. Remove sauce from heat.
  • 8
    To serve, divide the strawberry sauce among 4 serving plates. Spoon some of Kaiserschmarrn pastry on top of the strawberry sauce, dust with powdered sugar, and serve immediately.

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