Kaiserschmarren (sugar raisin pancakes)

There are many stories that purport to tell the history of the development of Kaiserschmarren. One is very persistent: “Kaiser” refers to Emperor Franz Josef I., husband of Empress Elisabeth (Sissi). One story has it that the court baker created the low-calorie dessert for the health-conscious empress as “Kaiserinschmarren”. But she didn’t like the taste. Then the Emperor is purported to have said: “Then give me that “Schmarrn” (trash)”. He liked the dish so much that the name “Kaiserschmarren” stuck. According to a second version, the dairy farmer is said to have served the Emperor “Schmarren à la casa”, or “trash of the house”, using the Latin word for hut, “casa”. Following the Emperor’s excitement, the dish received a new name. There is even a third version. A cook failed in his attempt to make pancakes for the emperor. He despaired and someone commented on the “trash” served to the Emperor. It has never been clarified how Kaiserschmarren received its name. And it actually does not matter. The main thing is, they taste great.

1. First soak the raisins in rum for two hours.
2. Then separate the eggs. Beat the egg whites in a bowl with a mixer. In another bowl, stir the egg yolks together with flour, vanilla sugar and water to form a smooth dough.
3. Carefully stir in the egg white with the dough.
4. In a Teflon pan, melt butter at medium heat.
5. Slowly pour the dough into the pan and forcefully add the raisins to the dough so that they disappear within it.
6. Bake the dough until it is gold brown and cut it into three parts with a spatula. Rotate these parts individually until both sides are crispy and still fluffy on the inside.
7. Cut the dough into small parts with the spatula and flip in the plan after about a minute.
8. Let the pancakes cool and dust them with powdered sugar. Ideally served with apple sauce or roast plums.