Kaiserschmarrn is an Austrian dessert. It’s a scratch pancake coated with powdered sugar. My variation is with freshly picked wild blueberries.
What is a Kaiserschmarrn?
A Kaiserschmarrn (Kaiser means Emperor | Schmarrn translates as shredded Pancake/nonsense) or simply Schmarrn is a shredded pancake in Austria and in the former countries that belonged to the empire a 100 years ago.
The late emperor Franz Joseph, of the house of Habsburg, was quite fond of this shredded pancake. The dish was specially created and invented for the emperor by one of his chefs, and therefore the ruler was the name giver to the scrumptious sweet fluffy pancake dessert.
The Kaiserschmarrn is a name from Vienna for the dish, in the alpine Tyrolean mountains it is better known as Miasl. Why do I mention the different German names you wonder? Well, actually a Schmarrn is prepared by separating the eggs and beating the egg whites fluffy.
The Alpine Miasl on the other hand seems to be an easier version where the eggs are just simply mixed whole into the batter, or so I was told by my father who enjoyed my grandmother’s sweet blueberry Miasl (locally known as Moosbeermiasl) as a kid.
You simply shred the pancake while frying it golden and before you serve it still warm, cover with a layer of powdered sugar.
When in Austria, we tend to wander into the forest in July to collect a bounty of fresh blueberries. By August & September we switch and start to look after Lingongberries in the high alpine fields.
So, the Kaiserschmarrn recipe with blueberries is a seasonal dish. However, if you want, you can just use raisins or add nothing at all into your pancake dough. The fresh wild blueberries get smashed and turn the Kaiserschmarrn dark purple.
How to make Kaiserschmarrn?
When preparing the dough make sure that there are no lumps left. The dough should be smooth, towards a semi liquid consistency, so that you can easily pour it into a pan and turn the pancake before breaking it into smaller pieces.
Make sure to use only butter for the frying! The flavor is the trick to a tasty Kaiserschmarrn.
Breaking the pancakes is my favorite part!
Because after all you don’t need to make a perfect looking flat pancake. That means the Kaiserschmarrn recipe is a foolproof pancake recipe, perfect for beginners and for those with a huge sweet tooth.
Just break it apart into bite size pieces. Let’s get crazy, let your inner animal out!
I love to make Kaiserschmarrn after a busy day, when I crave something sweet and I want it pronto. It’s a no-brainer one-pan dessert!
Serve hot and don’t forget the powdered sugar over the Kaiserschmarrn, it’s like a blanket of snow covering the alpine glaciers.
Kaiserschmarrn Recipe with Blueberries
Ingredients
For the Batter:
- 1 1/2 cups All Purpose Flour sifted
- 1/4 cup Sugar
- 2 Tablespoon Butter
- 1/2 cup Milk
- 2 Eggs
- 1 3/4 cup Blueberries fresh
For the frying and garnish:
- 2 Tablespoon Butter
- Powdered Sugar
Instructions
- First combine the dry ingredients together, flour and sugar. Then continue to add in the butter, milk and eggs.
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- Mix the whole content well until you have a smooth batter without lumps. Then add the fresh and clean blueberries.
- Heat up a pan and add the butter. For a big frying pan pour about 3 ladles full of berry batter mixture into the pan for a small pan about 1 1/2-2 ladles full. Spread the batter quickly evenly by tilting the pan to all sides.
- After a few minutes or until you can see that one side is cooked and golden, turn the pancake carefully to cook the other side as well.
- Once cooked, start breaking the pancake into smaller pieces. While breaking the pancake into a schmarrn you will notice that the blueberries will break. That’s fine and it will turn the color of the pancake pieces into a dark purple shade.
- Once you are done, place the hot Kaiserschmarrn into a plate and dust with powdered sugar
Notes
- You can make this recipe without blueberries too and use a few raisins instead or just nothing.
- You can make the Kaiserschmarrn recipe dough ahead and keep in the fridge, however, make sure to use it up within 24 hours.
- Mix the dough before placing it into the buttered hot pan. Fry on both sides and then just go ahead and break the pancake into a royal Kaiserschmarrn.
- Most importantly, dust the hot Schmarrn with powdered sugar before serving.
Nutrition
More decadent desserts to try 🍰
- Buchteln stuffed with Hazelnut paste covered with homemade Vanilla Sauce
- Poppy Seed Stollen Roll
- Marillenknödel – Sweet Apricot Dumplings
Dear Reader, have you ever had Kaiserschmarrn, scratch pancakes?
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o I almost didn’t recognize Kaiserschmarrn…they are really blue :-)) I am very sure they taste fantastic with blueberries.
I love recipes chock full of fruit! And the color of these pancakes is divine…I know I’d love them!
What a interesting preparation distinction, sounds delicious! Can’t wait to see your other fruit recipes.
I made blueberry pancakes for breakfast on Friday morning but I ate them the traditional American way with butter and maple syrup. I think I’d LOVE this Kaiserschmarrn!
Mmmhhh, fantastic! I love Kaiserschmarrn.
Cheers,
Rosa
This is such an interesting dessert… Can work for breakfast too! 🙂
It’s been a lomg time simce Inpassed by your blog. So glad I did.
I hope you’re enjoying your time in Austria xx
What a fun dish! I’ve made regular blueberry pancakes loads of times, but really like this shredded version. Your blueberries look magnificent! Good stuff — thanks.
I can absolutely relate what you mean by translating the name of a food in English,I often times feel really difficult to translate a dish’s name from Tamil to English :). Shredded pancakes looks like a real treat,gorgeous pics too
I love pancakes of all sorts and your shredded ‘deconstructed’ version of the blueberry kaiserschmarrn sounds wonderful and those colors are simply wow.
Pancake dessert? You know your way into my heart 😀
Delicious and classier than average pancakes!
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
Hi Helene,
hope you are doing great. loved this dessert. looks yum
Now this is different. It reminds me of way back in college when I tried to make brownie in a popcorn popper. They were good, but in small pieces. 🙂 What an interesting pancake and I’m so envious that they are made with fresh picked blueberries! Bet these are scrumptious!
how much fun and how cool! My boys would think this is an awesome way to eat pancakes!
Love this idea – so interesting, a shredded pancake. The color is brilliant!
Simple and delicious dessert, would love to try this , thanks for stopping by my space..
this is such a fun dish bet kids love it
I don’t think i’ve ever heard of this, but I love how crazy blueberry stuffed it is! Has to be good.
I so love learning about new cuisines from different cultures on your blog, Helene!
This blueberry kaiserschmarrn sounds perfect for breakfast this weekend!
I love your photos, Helene. The torn pancake looks gorgeous. I love how you were able to pick wild blueberries while in Austria. You must speak so many languages! xx
Oh Helene, this looks and sounds so very tasty! Love it xo
Helene,
This is a must for my girls’ breakfast. They’re doom and gloom at returning to school so this is definitely going to cheer them up. Although now I just need to pounce on some blueberries. They won’t be as good as your handpicked ones!
This sounds amazing! How lovely to have all those wild blueberries! I have never heard of a Kaiserschmarrn before…but it sure looks wonderful!
Looks like a treat my entire family would love… love that it’s full of healthy blueberries too. 🙂
this recipe is new to me. Thanks for sharing wonderful idea, I’ll try this recipe as it look so perfect and delicious 🙂
This looks divine though never heard of it. Nice and the berries for the sweet natural sweetness.
I wasn’t familiar with this but it sounds wonderful! I love wild blueberries!
I love pancakes and I also blueberries are my favourites but I have never combined the two, I must give it a go.
I love how the smashed up blueberries colour the pancake! It sounds really delicious and it must be a lovely recipe to make with blueberries you’ve picked yourself.
What an interesting dessert. Love all those blueberries in there!
Thanks for reposting this! I’m making this for breakfast in the morning.
How nice! 🙂 Lucky hubby.
We loved it! Thanks so much!