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When I turned 61 this past May, Frank and I were in the middle of a trip to the Bavarian Alps. We were joined on this trip by one of my brothers and my sisters-in-law; and the four of us were staying in the village of Garmisch-Partenkirchen.
By any measure, Garmisch-Partenkirchen is one of the most magical and majestic places I’ve ever been. What drew us to Ga-Pa, as it’s called by locals, is that it was where my parents spent their honeymoon in 1955. With both of our parents gone now, my brother and I wanted to go back to some of the places that meant so much to them, and Garmisch-Partenkirchen was right at the top of that list.
That morning, we took a century-old cogwheel train halfway up the tallest peak in Germany, the Zugspitze. The train let us out in the middle of a stunning glacier field, where we rode sleds and frolicked in the snow for an hour or so. Never mind that it was late spring down at the cozy lodge where we were staying; up on the mountain, it was still a winter wonderland. From the glacier field, we took a cable car up to the summit. It was a perfectly clear day, and from the peak, we could see across the Alps all the way into Austria, Switzerland, and Italy. Again, magic and majesty were the keywords that day.
When we took the cable car back down to the valley, we had dinner that evening at Gasthof zum Rassen at Ludwigstraße 45 in Garmisch-Partenkirchen. We had an incredible supper—it was a dream space to celebrate a birthday. But the crowning moment of the meal was the dessert: a local alpine delicacy called Kaiserschmarrn.
What is Kaiserschmarrn?
Translating roughly to "Emperor's Mess" or "Emperor's Pancake," Kaiserschmarrn is a staple across Austria and the Bavarian Alps. It is not your average breakfast pancake. Instead, it starts with a rich, egg-heavy batter where the egg whites are whipped separately to stiff peaks and gently folded back in.
As the thick pancake cooks in a hot cast-iron pan with plenty of butter, it gets quartered, flipped, and shredded with two forks into rustic, bite-sized pillow pieces. Right at the end, a knob of fresh butter and a spoonful of sugar are tossed into the pan, caramelizing the edges to a crisp, golden crunch before it gets heavily dusted with confectioners' sugar.
The Royal Origins & Bavarian Tradition
Legend credits the dish to Emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria (1830–1916). As one story goes, the imperial chef accidentally tore a delicate dessert pancake while attempting to flip it. To salvage the dish, he covered it in sweet plum compote and sprinkled it with powdered sugar. When served, the Emperor reportedly quipped, "Now what kind of mess (Schmarrn) has the chef cooked up this time?"—yet he ended up loving it.
Whether born of a royal mishap or traditional alpine farm cooking, Kaiserschmarrn embodies everything great about Alpine-Bavarian cuisine: rich, unpretentious, comforting food designed to warm you up after a long day in the mountains.
The Secret: You Need the Zwetschgenröster
While some places serve Kaiserschmarrn with applesauce or red currant jam, true alpine tradition demands Zwetschgenröster—a spiced, stewed plum compote.
I had mine with stewed plums at Gasthof zum Rassen, and let me tell you: Kaiserschmarrn simply isn't complete without them. The tart, spiced acidity of the warm plums cuts right through the rich, buttery pancake batter, lifting the entire dish into absolute ecstasy.
Traditional Bavarian Kaiserschmarrn with Stewed Plums
- Prep time: 20 minutes
- Cook time: 25 minutes
- Servings: 4
Ingredients
For the Stewed Plums (Zwetschgenröster):
- 1 lb (approx. 450g) fresh plums or damsons, pitted and quartered
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup water or dry red wine
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 small cinnamon stick
- 2 whole cloves
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
For the Kaiserschmarrn:
- 4 large eggs, separated
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar (plus 1 extra tbsp for caramelizing)
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 pinch of salt
- 3 tbsp rum-soaked raisins (optional)
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter (split)
- Confectioners' sugar, for dusting
Instructions
- Make the Stewed Plums:
In a small saucepan, combine the water (or red wine), sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon stick, and cloves over medium heat until the sugar dissolves. Add the quartered plums and vanilla. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer gently for 10–12 minutes until the plums soften and release their sweet juices. Remove from heat, discard the whole spices, and keep warm. - Whip the Egg Whites:
In a clean bowl, beat the 4 egg whites with a pinch of salt until stiff peaks form. Set aside. - Mix the Batter Base:
In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, 2 tablespoons of sugar, vanilla extract, flour, and milk until smooth. - Fold Lightly:
Gently fold the whipped egg whites into the flour-yolk mixture with a rubber spatula just until combined. Keep it airy—don't overmix! - Bake & Tear:
Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet (preferably cast iron) over medium heat. Pour in the thick batter. If using raisins, scatter them evenly across the top. Cook for about 4–5 minutes until the bottom is golden brown. Quarter the pancake with a spatula and carefully flip each piece. Cook for another 2–3 minutes. - Caramelize:
Using two forks, pull and tear the pancake quarters into rough, bite-sized pieces right in the pan. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter and sprinkle the extra 1 tablespoon of sugar over the top. Toss the pieces around over medium-high heat for 2 minutes until the sugar caramelizes and the edges turn crispy. - Serve:
Transfer to plates, dust generously with confectioners' sugar, and serve immediately alongside spoonfuls of warm stewed plums.
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