One meaning of Schmarrn is 'nonsense', another is 'mess' and there are more definitions, but the comment 'so ein Schmarrn', is roughly 'what a lot of nonsense', or 'what a mess', and that might seem a little out of place when attached to a recipe. However there is a legend behind Schmarrn mit karmellisierten Aepfeln, which is a chopped up pancake with caramelized apples, and is a version of Kaiserschmarrn, an Austrian and Bavarian specialty and a dessert that, or so the story goes, was invented by the chef working for the Austrian Emperor, or Kaiser in German, Franz Joseph and his wife Elizabeth of Bavaria.
As someone who even in the 19th century was on a perpetual diet, and going against the fashion with food at the time as well as her husbands tastes, the Empress had instructed her chef that only light desserts were to be served, however when this mixture appeared she refused to eat it as it was too rich.
Her husband however joked "Now let me see what Schmarrn our chef has cooked up", and found it so delicious he not only ate his own portion but also that of his wife, so the dessert was from then on known as Kaiserschmarrn, 'Emperor's Nonsense', or perhaps as it consists of a type of roughly chopped up pancake and is not the most beautifully arranged meal ever placed on a plate, 'Emperor's mess'.
Originally a pudding for an Emperor it is now an Bavarian and Austrian specialty, often served as a filling 'whenever' snack and not only in skiing area mountain huts, as well as for breakfast, although if an early morning one probably not a version with alcohol in the ingredients.
This recipe comes from the Five Lakes Area of Bavaria, Das Bayerische 5 Seen Land.
Chopped pancake with Caramelised Apples (Schmarrn mit Karamellisierten Aepfeln) Serves four and takes about 50 minutes from start to finish.
Ingredients:
2 large cooking apples (about 3/4 lb)
2 desert spoons of lemon juice
5 eggs
200g sieved flour
200ml milk
100g fine brown sugar
2 tablespoons raisins soaked in rum, water, or a mix of rum and water
Finely grated peel from half a lemon
half vanilla pod, sliced lengthways
60g butter
1 pinch of salt
1-2 desert spoons of Rum
Method:
Peel, quarter, core and chop apples roughly and cover with lemon juice.
Soak raisins in rum or water to cover for about 30 mins.
Preheat oven to 200 degrees C.
Separate the eggs.
Whisk the egg yolks with the flour, milk and seeds from the vanilla pod. Leave the pieces of pod in the mixture
Whisk the egg whites with 50g sugar and a pinch of salt until stiff peaks are formed.
Carefully fold into the egg yolk batter.
Melt 20g butter in a pan and stirring fry half of the apple pieces for one to two minutes.
Remove vanilla pod, add the batter to the apples,add remaining apple chunks, finely grated lemon peel and the drained and dried raisins.
Cook for 2to 3 minutes on a medium heat then place in the middle of the preheated oven for 10 to 15 minutes.
Melt 40g of butter in pan big enough to allow pieces of apple pancake to be turned easily.
With two forks or a spatula
carefully pull the pancake apart into random strips and pieces. Add 50g of sugar to the melted butter, stirring add pieces of apple pancake in the melted butter mix, brown and continue turning apple until the pieces are caramelised.
Add 1 to 2 desert spoons of Rum to taste.
Divide into four portions and serve.
Now is the time many people cover the entire 'mess' with confectioners sugar or whipped or light cream.
Don't think about the calories, just Enjoy!
Guten Appetit!
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Kaiserschmarrn photos courtesy of Kaleissin, the completed dish, Jensflorian the preparation, via de.Wikipedia
