This week I traveled to Bavaria by Zoom for a semi-private cooking lesson with the chef and owner of Xaver’s in Munich… step-by-step they led me through the process, and in the end I had a delicious plate loaded with powder sugar dusted Bavarian Kaiserschmarrn and an extraordinarily tasty Apfel Compote. Granted, it wasn’t nearly the same as being there, but I was delighted to be included in the program set up by the German National Tourist Board and Visit Bavaria. I ended up with a new recipe, I learned a new technique, I added restaurant to my “MUST VISIT in Munich” list… AND I had a tasty lunch!
(Almost like being there… except I was home in my own kitchen.)
Because I’ve been sharing the images (you would too if you made something so delicious), a few people have asked me to share the recipe so they too can make it at home.
What are Kaiserschmarrn?
In our house, we sometimes refer to Kaiserschmarrn as a sort of torn up pancake (in fact, once or twice I’ve set out to make Eierkuchen, goofed them up while flipping, torn them a bit, and called them Kaiserschmarrn… but that’s wrong). As the legend goes…. Once upon a time the Kaiser was out and about touring the countryside. He arrived at a farmhouse, and the farmer invited him in to eat. Sadly, he didn’t have fancy food, but he’d heard that the Kaiser had a sweet tooth, so he whipped something up with the few ingredients he had. And the Kaiser loved it SOOOO much, that he took the recipe! From then on, the farmer’s humble offering was called Kaiserschmarrn.
Bavarian Kaiserschmarrn mit Apfel Compote ala Xaver’s Munich
In the past, I shared a different recipe for Kaiserschmarrn, made on the stove top. This recipe uses the oven to bake the Kaiserschmarrn, instead of just the stovetop. (Your frying pan needs to have a metal handle…plastic will melt and wreck your whole day.) You just might have to make both to see what you like best. THIS recipe doesn’t need as much watching. After you pour the batter into the pan, you can walk away and do something else for 14 minutes (great if you are also juggling other foods).
This best part of this Bavarian Kaiserschmarrn recipe (to me) are the caramelized bits that come from carefully creating the caramel before adding the raisins. Sweet, a little crunchy / chewy, and sooooo good.
Thanks again to everyone at Xaver’s and Visit Germany for making this fun afternoon possible!
Hopefully, one day soon I will be able to visit in person. Meanwhile, if you ARE in Munich, you can place a to-go order on weekends! HERE–> Xaver’s The restaurant is a modern take on traditional Bavarian foods.
Bavarian Kaiserschmarrn mit Apfel Compote ala Xaver’s in Munich
Ingredients
Kaiserschmarrn:
Caramel:
- 1 ½ Tbl Sugar
- 1 Tbl Raisins a few more won’t hurt
- 2 Tbl Butter
Batter:
- ½ cup All Purpose Flour
- 2 Tbl Granulated Sugar
- ½ cup + 1 Tbl Milk
- 3 Eggs
- Powdered sugar to top maybe ¼ top
Apfel Compote:
- 4 Tbl Granulated Sugar
- 3 Apples I used Gala Apples
- 1 Cinnamon Stick
- 2 whole Cloves
- ½ Vanilla Pod split openor 1 tsp Vanilla extract
- ½ cup Apple Juice keep more around just in case
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven to 400°F
Compote:
- It's best to start the Apple Compote first, since it takes a while to cook.
- Begin by dicing the apples. DON'T PEEL THEM! Just cut in half, remove the core, then cut into small chunks (about 1/2 inch or 1 cm chunks). If you have one of these apple slicer corer's, it goes fast. Set the apple aside.
- Begin the compote by making a caramel from the sugar.
- Sprinkle 4 tablespoons of sugar into a medium saucepan over low to medium heat. Don’t touch it, don’t stir it (you can shake it to level it off). Just let it slowly melt on the bottom of the pan. It should be melted, and starting to go gold. (If it burns, you might as well start over).
- Once the sugar is melted, add the apples, apple juice, cinnamon stick, cloves, and vanilla pod.
- Stir a few times, and let it cook uncovered until the apples get soft.
- This will take a good 20-25 minutes. Don't rush it. The flavors will develop with time.
- If you notice that the pan is getting dry, add a little more juice.
- It should look soft, but lumpy when it's done.
- Remove the cinnamon stick, cloves and vanilla pod before serving.
Kaiserschmarrn:
- You will need medium-large frying pan that can go into the oven. (Mine is a 12 inch pan with sloped sides, the bottom is 9 inches... but anything close should be fine)
- In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, 2 Tbl sugar, and milk. Stir.
- Crack the eggs into a small bowl, and give them a quick whisk to break up the yolks. (You aren't making scrambled eggs, you just want to break them up a bit before putting them into the batter.) BEFORE adding them to the batter... get the pan ready with the sugar and raisins.
- Make another caramel with the sugar. Just sprinkle the sugar into the pan, shake to level it, then set the pan over low-medium heat until it melts and starts to brown (this is tricky in a dark pan, so mainly look for melted sugar).
- Add the raisins and the butter, stir.
- Let them cook over low
- Now go back to the batter.
- Add the eggs to the flour/milk mixture.
- Whisk it so it just comes together. You want to smooth out any flour lumps... but you don't want the egg completely mixed in (this was confusing to me, but it helps with the rising).
- Move the raisins to the center of the pan
- Pour the batter in a circle around the raisins (not covering them)
- Then put the pan in the oven for 14 minutes.
- DON'T OPEN THE OVEN TO PEEK!
- After 14 minutes you can look... it should have risen up the sides a bit, and you want it to be golden brown (give it another minute or two if needed)
- Remove the pan from the oven (PLEASE remember the pan is REALLY HOT)
- Set it on a hot pad
- Now, take two spoons or two forks and rip the pancake apart.
- Put the bits on a plate (maybe in a circle around the edge)
- And now they are Kaiserschmarrn
- Sprinkle powdered sugar over the Kaiserschmarrn
- Then fill the center with the compote.
- Enjoy
Notes
Make Sure You have the Right Tools!
EOE Nonstick Frying Pan – Hard Anodized Aluminum with Anti-Warp Base, Stainless Steel Handle – Nonstick Fry Skillet for Gas, Electric, Induction Cooktops – Dishwasher & Oven-Safe – Black, InchOXO Good Grips Apple Slicer, Corer and Divider
How to make Bavarian Kaiserschmarrn and Apfel Compote
Just a few ingredients…
Apfel Compote
Melt the sugar
Add rest and cook down
Kaiserschmarrn
Pour the batter around the raisins
You can see that the egg still shows in the batter
Comes out of the oven like this
Tear up with two spoons
Put on a plate, leaving room for the compote
Sprinkle with powdered sugar and SERVE
I was lucky to get any at all!
I just made Omas lemon cake so delicious – now I will try a few more recipes – just love all of them – thank u so much
Thank you! I’m glad you like it!