Alpine Specialty: Kaiserschmarrn – Austrian Shredded Pancake
·Make the batter
Get out a large bowl. Pour in the milk and eggs, and whisk together. Add the sugar, flour and a pinch of salt. If you like, you can also add a bit of grated lemon or orange zest.
Mix in the baking powder thoroughly
Once your batter is mixed, add the baking powder and whisk again until well combined. A whisk will make the whole process easiest.
Melt the butter
Heat clarified butter or a little oil in a large pan. Pour in the batter. Wait about a minute, then add rum-soaked raisins if you'd like them in your pancake. We left them out.
Fry on both sides
Let it cook over medium heat on one side, then flip it over. You can cut the pancake in half before flipping if that makes it easier to handle.
Tear it apart
Once cooked through, transfer the pancake to a board and cut it into smaller pieces. Or, if you'd rather stick to tradition, tear it apart right in the pan using a wooden spoon, then tip it onto a plate.
Cut the apples
While the pancake is cooking, peel the apples and cut them into small pieces. Melt a knob of butter in a small pan and add the apple pieces.
Nuts and sugar
Add roughly chopped nuts. Sprinkle in the sugar and turn the heat up high. Keep an eye on the sugar so it doesn't burn — you just want it to start caramelizing lightly.
Combine with the pancake
Add another knob of butter and a shot of rum — a generous one, if you like. Stir and turn off the heat. Return the torn pancake pieces to the pan and mix everything together.
Finish and serve
Serve on a plate dusted with a little powdered sugar and, if you like, a pinch of cinnamon. Fresh fruit makes a lovely addition too.
