Malvaschmarrn

An Alpine classic goes South African: fluffy torn pancakes with apricot, caramelised edges and warm custard.

Malvaschmarrn is my meeting point between two homes: the Kaiserschmarrn I came to love in Bavaria and the unmistakable flavours of South African Malva pudding. The batter gets Malva's signature apricot jam and little splash of vinegar, while separately whipped egg whites keep the centre light and cloud-like. Torn into rough pieces and caramelised in butter, it has crisp golden edges, a soft middle and, instead of the usual Alpine fruit compote, a generous pour of warm custard. It is not quite Kaiserschmarrn and definitely not Malva pudding. It belongs somewhere in between — which is exactly the point.

Malvaschmarrn, a South African recipe
Prep15 min
Cook15 min
Total30 min
Serves2
LevelMedium
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Before you start

Get your mise en place ready so nothing catches you out mid-cook.

Method

  1. 1

    Make the Batter

    Place the egg yolks, caster sugar and vanilla in a mixing bowl. Whisk until smooth and slightly lighter in colour.

  2. 2

    Add the apricot jam and whisk until it is completely incorporated. Add the vinegar and milk and whisk again until smooth.

  3. 3

    Add the flour, bicarbonate of soda and salt. Whisk just until you have a smooth batter with no obvious pockets of dry flour. Do not continue beating once the flour is incorporated.

The rest of this recipe

There's 6 more ingredients and 8 more steps to go.

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Ivana’s note

Don't leave out the apricot jam. It might look like a small amount, but it is the ingredient that takes this from simply being Kaiserschmarrn with custard to something that actually tastes connected to Malva pudding. It brings sweetness, fruitiness and that familiar caramelised Malva character into the batter itself.

Why vinegar? The small amount isn't there to make the pancake taste sour. It echoes the characteristic tang in Malva pudding and reacts with the bicarbonate of soda, helping give the batter additional lift.

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