Kaiserschmarrn - caramelised pancakes with sour cherries

These were Austrian emperor Franz Joseph’s favourite pancakes - and delightful they are too. He ate them with sultanas, but I think dried cherries are even better. And his chefs wouldn’t have had the benefit of buying ready-made pancakes, so it’s not half the bother it was then.

Method

Begin by warming the rum in a small pan, then add the dried cherries. Remove the pan from the heat and leave on one side for about 15 minutes for the cherries to soften and plump up. Meanwhile, stack the pancakes and, using a sharp knife, cut them all together into strips lengthways and then across so you end up with small squares. 

Next, pre-heat the grill to its highest setting.

Now melt the butter in a large frying-pan and, when it starts to foam, add the pieces of pancake and the cherry-and-rum mixture, followed by the almonds.

Cook over a medium heat for 3-4 minutes, tossing and turning the mixture till it’s hot and golden.

Then, sift the icing sugar and cinnamon over the top. Place under the grill for a few minutes until the sugar starts to caramelise and serve immediately with chilled pouring cream, crème fraîche or vanilla ice cream.