Kaiserschmarrn Trentino — Torn Pancake with Plum Compote

Ingredients

• For the batter
• 4 eggs, separated
• 30 g caster sugar
• 120 ml whole milk
• 120 ml double cream
• 80 g 00 flour
• 1 pinch fine salt
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 60 g raisins, soaked in rum or grappa for at least 30 minutes
• For the pan
• 40 g unsalted butter, for the initial pour
• 20 g unsalted butter, for the caramelisation toss
• 1 tbsp caster sugar, for the caramelisation toss
• To finish
• 1 tbsp icing sugar, for dusting
• Zwetschkenröster (plum compote)
• 500 g dark plums (susine/Zwetschken), stoned and halved
• 80 g caster sugar
• 1 cinnamon stick

Method

1. 1
   Prepare the Zwetschkenröster first. Combine the stoned plums, sugar, and cinnamon stick in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the fruit has broken down to a thick, dark compote. The compote is ready when a spoon drawn across the base of the pan leaves a trail that closes slowly. Keep warm.
2. 2
   Make the batter. Whisk the egg yolks with 30 g sugar until the mixture is pale and the sugar has dissolved. Add the milk, cream, flour, salt, and vanilla; whisk to a smooth, lump-free batter.
3. 3
   In a separate, scrupulously clean bowl, beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt to stiff, glossy peaks — the whites must hold their shape firmly when the whisk is lifted. Fold the whites into the yolk batter in two additions, working quickly and lightly to preserve the volume. The finished batter should be airy and noticeably thicker than a crêpe batter.
4. 4
   Melt 40 g butter in a large non-stick or cast-iron pan over medium-low heat until foaming. Pour in all the batter and immediately scatter over the drained raisins. Cook undisturbed for 4–5 minutes. This is where the dish lives or dies: the base must be fully set and golden before any intervention — lift one edge carefully to check for a deep golden underside, and press the surface lightly; it should yield at the top but not feel liquid beneath.
5. 5
   Flip the schmarrn — in sections if the pan does not allow a single turn. Cook the second side until set, again checking by pressing the surface: it should spring back gently with no raw batter movement beneath.
6. 6
   Using two forks, tear the schmarrn into rough, irregular pieces directly in the pan. Larger pieces will remain custardy at their centres; smaller pieces will become crispy throughout — this variation in texture is the intended result, not a defect.
7. 7
   Add 20 g butter and 1 tablespoon of sugar to the pan. Toss the torn pieces over the heat until they are caramelised and golden on their cut edges. The pan will smell of browned butter and caramel; the edges of the pieces will colour visibly. Do not skip this step: it is what produces the characteristic golden, slightly crispy exterior.
8. 8
   Transfer to a warm plate or serve directly from the pan. Dust generously with icing sugar and serve immediately alongside the hot Zwetschkenröster.