Name: German Apple Pancakes - Scrambled Pancakes
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 1 big o 2 small apples; 90 g spelt flour (Type 630); 50 g buckwheat flour; 200 ml whole milk; 4 large eggs (separated); 1 package organic bourbon vanilla sugar (8 g); 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon rind (from an organic lemon); 60 g raw cane sugar; Pinch of sea salt; Butter or ghee (for frying); Powdered sugar; Natural unsweetened apple sauce or plum compote

Dieser Beitrag ist auch verfügbar auf: Deutsch (German)

German Scrambled Pancakes – These easy German Apple Pancakes with buckwheat flour are a fall-tastic spin on Classic Kaiserschmarrn and the best German Austrian comfort food.

German Scrambled Pancakes with apples – A healthy spin on a traditional Kaiserschmarrn recipe that I grew up eating in Germany! Kaiserschmarrn is a traditional Austrian dish that is also hugely popular in Germany. This healthy version is made with spelt and buckwheat flour, which gives the scrambled pancakes a slightly nutty flavour. It’s lightly sweetened with natural raw cane sugar or coconut sugar.

Scrambled Pancakes “Kaiserschmarrn” – a traditional Austrian recipe

Think of Kaiserschmarrn (translates to emeror’s mess) as a shredded, or scrambled pancake. It is lightly sweetened and super fluffy thanks so whipped egg whites! This shredded pancake got its name from the Austrian emperor (Kaiser) Franz Joseph I, who was very fond of this sweet egg dish. No one knows whether its invention was purely intentional. It might have been as simple as someone unable to flip a pancake properly, then trying to cover it up and sell it as a new invention. Sounds like something I would do. Nonetheless, this traditional Austirna dish has stood the test the time is loved by young and old alike.

Add a healthy twist

Typically a traditional Kaiserschmarrn recipe would be prepared in a skillet with plenty of butter or ghee, but it can also be made in the oven. I made mine in a non-stick skillet using little fat and instead of white flour, I used rye flour and buckwheat flour.

Tips for making this scrambled German apple pancake recipe

There are a couple of important steps in achieving the best Kaiserschmarrn.

This fluffy scrambled pancake is made by dividing the egg yolks and whites. There’s no baking powder in this recipe, as the egg whites do all the work.
The egg yolks are mixed with a mix of gluten-free flours, milk, vanilla, and lemon zest. The pancake batter is then put to rest. This is a very important step. The pancake batter must rest so that the starch molecules in the buckwheat and rye flour can absorb liquid. Don’t skip this step or the batter will be too runny.
Allowing for the kaiserschmarrn batter to rest for at least 10 – 15 minutes also makes for a more delicate textured pancake.
Whisked egg white for fluffy German apple pancakes. Now for the egg whites. They are beaten with the sugar until they form peaks. This takes a maximum of 1 minute with a hand-held electric beater. Some kaiserschmarrn recipes call for using stiffly beaten egg whites. I prefer the soft peaks as I feel the batter is easier to combine.
Serve the Kaiserschmarrn dusted with powdered sugar and apple sauce on the side.
You can either make the Kaiserschmarrn in batches OR use a large 32cm skillet and quarter the large pancake before flipping it. Then bake the other side until golden brown, before tearing into bite-sized pieces.

What is the secret to light fluffy scrambled pancakes

The secret is all about EGGS! The number one secret to getting those fluffy, thick pancakes every time is to SEPARATE the egg yolks from the egg whites. That works easiest when the eggs are cold. Put the yolks in the bowl and mix with the other batter ingredients as per recipe. In a separate bowl that is CLEAN and free from any fat, beat the egg whites on medium speed. Some prefer stiff peaks, I just whip them for a minute until soft peaks form.

What to serve with Kaiserschmarrn

There are a number of different options. In Germany and Austria, it is traditionally served with plum compote. Apple sauce or sour cherry compote or canned cherries are also delicious. As is a simple homemade vanilla custard. A dusting of icing sugar is also indispensable.