Kaiserschmarrn () or Kaiserschmarren (;
Kaiserschmarrn is a popular meal or dessert in Austria, Bavaria, and many parts of the former Austria-Hungary, e.g. northern Italy, Hungary, Slovenia, Czech Republic, northern Croatia and western Romania, which usually use the name as a loan word or translations of it. In Slovenia, it is called cesarski praženec or šmorn. Its Hungarian name is császármorzsa [June Meyers Authentic Hungarian Heirloom Recipes Cookbook]
Etymology
The name
Kaiserschmarrn is a compound of the words Kaiser () and Schmarren (a scrambled or shredded dish). Schmarren is also a colloquialism used in
Austrian German and Bavarian to mean . The word Schmarren may be related to scharren () and schmieren ( see).
Description
Kaiserschmarrn is a light, caramelized
pancake made from a sweet batter using
flour, eggs, sugar, salt, and
milk, fried in
butter. Kaiserschmarrn can be prepared in different ways. When making Kaiserschmarrn the
are usually separated from the
Egg yolk and beaten until stiff; then the flour and the yolks are mixed with sugar, and the other ingredients are added, including: nuts,
Cherry,
, apple jam, or small pieces of apple, or
Caramelization and slivered
. The latter ingredients (nuts, cherries, plums, apple jam, or small pieces of apple, or
Caramelization raisins and chopped almonds) are not part of the original recipe, but additions made by cooks based on their personal preferences. The original recipe only includes rum-soaked raisins.
The pancake is shredded using two forks during frying and usually sprinkled with powdered sugar, then served hot with apple or plum sauce or various fruit Compote, including plum, lingonberry, strawberry, or apple. Kaiserschmarrn is eaten like a dessert, or it can also be eaten for lunch at tourist places like mountainside restaurants and taverns in the Austrian Alps, as a filling meal.
Traditionally, Kaiserschmarrn is accompanied with Zwetschgenröster, a fruit compote made of plums.
Varieties
A number of varieties exist, including Erdäpfelschmarrn (with potatoes), Äpfelschmarrn (with apples) or Kirschschmarren (with cherries), usually prepared on an open fireplace of a so-called Rauchkuchl.
History
It is generally agreed that the dish was first prepared for the Austrian Emperor Francis Joseph I (1830–1916). There are several stories. One
story involves the Emperor and his wife, Elisabeth of Bavaria, of the House of Wittelsbach. Obsessed with maintaining a minimal waistline, Empress Elisabeth directed the royal chef to prepare only light desserts for her, much to the dismay and annoyance of her notoriously austere husband. Upon being presented with the chef's confection, she found it too rich and refused to eat it. The exasperated Francis Joseph quipped, "Now let me see what 'Schmarren' our chef has cooked up." It met his approval as he finished his and even his wife's serving.
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