I made this german pancake before taking off on our trip to Germany, thinking it would be a great blog post during the trip. Well, technical difficulties made it impossible and with a little luck I was able to try the real deal in a very quaint restaurant in Innsbruck, Austria. Daniel, our tour guide heard through the grapevine about my blog and with him being close to being a chef, it was natural for us to share our love for food and our food pics. I showed him my german pancake and he led the way to the dessert like german pancake called Kaiserschmarrn. Of course, there are some variations on the ingredients, but the taste and the structure are pretty much the same. It was served as a dessert and a 20-minute notice was needed because they are made fresh to order. I was in heaven. Daniel just happened to be sitting next to me at lunch and I believe we finished every last bite. Did we lick the plate? Almost.
The german pancake is fun to make with your guests because of the changes you see as it bakes and then cools. Don’t let it cool because it’s perfect right out of the oven. When it’s finished baking the pancake is puffed with large air pockets and then you’ll see it fall as the pancake pulls away from the pan. I’m sure the need for fresh beaten eggs and serving it warm is why the restaurant in Innsbruck, required the 20-minute notice. The best way to describe the taste would be a pancake with more of an egg/custard flavor. The height you see when it’s baked is coming from the egg and flour and without baking powder or soda, you have the drop and the consistency of the bottom will be heavier than your typical pancake.
In the picture above I topped the pancake with cooked apples. It’s also fun to offer a variety of toppings such as berries, jams, chocolate and whipped cream. Be creative. The picture below was taken at the restaurant. They served it cut with a dusting of powdered sugar and jams on the side. I think they serve it cut because it’s easier to share and if someone saw the flattened pancake they would probably think it was a flop. Yum Yum!
Do you have a favorite German food? A lot of people consider German food heavy with lots of meat. There may be some truth in it, but I was able to experience a great variety of food while in Deutschland not to mention the great beer. Please consider sharing what your favorite German food.
Thanks for stopping by, Rose
- 4 large eggs
- ½ cup whole milk
- ½ cup flour
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon grated lemon zest
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Powdered sugar for dusting and serving
- Heat oven to 425 degrees
- Beat eggs, milk, flour, sugar, vanilla, lemon zest and salt until well blended.
- Heat a 9 or 10 inch cast iron skillet over medium heat.
- Add the butter and melt.
- Add the batter and place the skillet in the preheated oven and bake until the pancake is puffed and golden which is 12-15 minutes.
- The pancake will rise and then fall.
- Dust with powdered sugar and serve.
- You can serve the pancake cut in small pieces. This is how I experienced it in Austria. Enjoy!