Advertisement

Apple Schmarren

This easy apple pancake recipe dates from a 1930s cookery calendar published in Tasmania and has been updated in Adelaide writer Liz Harfull’s new book Tried, Tested and True.

Apr 11, 2018, updated Apr 11, 2018

The calendar, titled Cookery Calendar from Apple Land, paid tribute to Tasmania’s reputation as a leading apple producer. It is one of dozens of Australian community cookbook publications featured in Tried, Tested and True: Treasured recipes and untold stories from Australian community cookbooks.

Apple Schmarren

The cookery calendar in which the recipe was originally published.

Thought to originate from Austria, this delicious and extremely easy apple pancake was the recipe for 26 April in the calendar. It is an ideal option for a weekend snack or breakfast with a difference. Used informally in German, the word schmarren means rubbish, or nonsense. It applies to this pancake because, in more traditional plain versions, you push the batter around as  it cooks to create a messy or broken pancake, a little like the  technique used to scramble eggs. However, in this version the pancake is allowed to sit and cook in one piece, although you shouldn’t stress about it breaking up when you turn it.

Serves 1-2

Ingredients

1 heaped tablespoon self-raising flour
Pinch of salt
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons milk
1 large apple
15g butter
2 teaspoons icing sugar

Method

Put the flour, salt and egg in a medium bowl and whisk together until smooth. Whisk in the milk.

Peel and core the apple, cut it into quarters and slice  thinly. Stir the apple into the batter.

Melt the butter in a small, non-stick frying pan over medium heat. When the butter starts to foam, pour all the batter into the pan. Cook slowly over low heat until golden brown underneath, and the batter is set on top. Flip carefully and cook on the other side. Serve warm, dusted with icing sugar.

Liz’s tips

  • Use   a generous heaped tablespoon  of flour. The   batter will still be very runny,  but don’t  worry – it sets beautifully.
  • Ideally, you need a non-stick frying  pan of about 20cm  for this recipe.
  • If the bottom of the pancake is becoming too brown and the top is still not setting,  place a lid over the top of the frying  pan for a few  minutes.
  • Use a large flexible spatula to flip the pancake over.
  • For variation, try adding a little lemon zest  or sprinkling the schmarren with cinnamon.

Recipe and image from Tried, Tested and True, by Liz Harfull, published by Allen & Unwin; RRP $39.99. Read InDaily’s interview with Harfull here.

Local News Matters
Advertisement
Copyright © 2024 InDaily.
All rights reserved.