There are just some recipes that need no introduction; whose beauty is in the simple comfort that they conjure up. Pancakes are one of those recipes.
I guarantee most of you reading this have a simple recipe in your repertoire and like most comfort foods, they're a blank canvas and often embrace any creative twist that is thrown at them (yes, cheese pancakes also have a place in my heart). From the ingredients used (three-ingredient banana blender batter, anyone?), to the rest or not-to-rest question, and also the selection of toppings and fillings you finish with, pancakes have been celebrated since the Romans first served ('another sweet' in Latin for the famed pancake) back in the 1st Century AD.
A tall pancake stack would always go down as a buttery treat with maple syrup when I would venture out, but I often found myself making palačinke at home. This is in the realms of a crepe in look and feel, but I would often liken it to a pancake, probably because I would top it with classic lemon and sugar, or my personal favourite, plum jam and crushed walnuts for a nod to my mother's pantry. That, and Eurocrem (or choc-hazelnut spread), plenty of Eurocrem. Don't forget to fold it!
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The many shapes of crepes
I digress...
While hiking through one of the many trails in Germany several years ago, I found myself being served up a morning pan-cake at each of the lodgings I stayed at along the way. Yes, a giant fluffy cake in a pan. It was dusted in sugar, which was usual, but it didn't quite fit the 'perfectly-flipped' bill because it was entirely shredded. Welcome to the realms of kaiserschmarrn or torn pancakes.
An Austrian dessert that has become a popular Bavarian breakfast, kaiserschmarrn has many accidental genesis stories behind it. One legend has it that a farmer's wife failed her attempt at making a pancake when Austria's Emperor Franz Joseph arrived at her home. The pancake batter failed and due to nervousness and to avoid further embarrassment, she simply shredded the so-called pancake and topped it with sugar, fruits and jam. Other legends position it closer to home saying it was mistakenly taken by a servant after the court pastry chef experimented with a batter. This is also why you'll find references to it as 'the dessert of the Emperor' or 'Emperor's mess'.
Whatever the story, it certainly seems as though this scrambled recipe was more than likely an accident and it certainly doesn't impact the wonderful taste that this slightly sweet recipe offers. It was probably the of the region.
While its hallmark is a thick, fluffy and caramelised batter, its tastes are dependent on the fruits cooked within and served alongside it. The key to this one-pan wonder is all in the separation of the egg yolks from the whites.
Source: Supplied
Everything's fine, it's torn
To make the batter, I've used rum-soaked sultanas (1-2 tbsp of rum to 60 g sultanas), which you can prepare first or even a day earlier to really infuse those boozy flavours. You can go alcohol-free and use an extra tbsp of vanilla extract or even substitute the dried fruits for thinly sliced apples or applesauce, as well as fruit compotes and preserves or stewed plums.
You can use nut flours (almond is great) instead of all-purpose, but you won't get the same fluffy finish, more cake-like. While I've used whole milk, you can use oat, soy, coconut or even water as the liquid component.
In a large bowl, whisk until creamy and well combined:
- 1 cup milk
- 1 cup all-purpose flour (sifted)
Add and continue to whisk:
- 3 egg yolks (keep the whites separate)
In a stand mixer or with an electric mixer, beat until stiff peaks form:
- 3 egg whites
- 2 tbsp sugar
- a pinch of salt
Fold the egg whites into the yolk mixture until just combined and be careful not to overmix.
In a buttered cast iron or non-sick frypan, pour the batter until evenly distributed and top with rum-soaked sultanas or any other soaked fruits or sauces of your choosing.
Run your spatula along the edges and then you can flip in two halves. Sectioning off one half and then the other, or you can simply take your chances to flip it in one go and if it fails, it simply doesn't matter as long as you can catch it all in the pan. That's when it does matter.
You’re looking for a caramelised top and bottom. Source: Supplied
Cook the other side until golden brown and then set aside. Once cool, tear the pancake up and place it back in the pan. Let it rain icing sugar, top with vanilla ice cream, pouring cream or extra fruits, jams and preserves.
Either way, eat it straight out of the pan.
And for those who are still thinking about that three-ingredient blender batter I mentioned above, here you go:
Source: Supplied
Add 2 large bananas (peeled), 4 eggs, 1 tsp baking powder and a pinch of salt to a blender and pulse for 30-40 secs until creamy. Set aside and in a buttered frypan ladle as you go, flipping them until golden on both sides. Stack 'em high and watch them fly. Or better yet, top them with stewed apples and plums.
