Pancakes (in Austria called “Kaiserschmarrn”), Salzburg dumplings or Kaspressknödel (dumplings with a lot of cheese) – a few hours of skiing and the fresh air make me hungry and so a stop at the cosy hut is a fix part during my winter vacation. As a hobby chef I am always looking for new recipes and at the Jagdschloss Kühtai I had a short introduction to the art of Austrian delicacies from the pastry chef.
The snow is glistening white on this sunny winter day over 2,000 meters above sea level. There are no clouds in the sky and around noon I carve on the moderate ski run next to the Kaiserbahn lift directly onto the sun terrace of the Jagdschloss Kühtai.
There is truly the best pancakes in the region, and that has family reasons! In the 19th century the former owner of the hotel was the Emperor (in German “Kaiser”) Franz Josef I, who was supposed to give the name to the sweet specialty “Kaiserschmarrn”. Even today, the European nobility meets at the hotel of the great-grandson of the emperor, but also ordinary ski guests check in at the Jagschloss of Count Christian of Stolberg-Stolberg. And his long-time pastry chef Hannes Kock conjures the pancakes after historical recipe.
From the noble furnished lobby of the hotel there are only a just a few steps into the kitchen. I knock carefully on the door and immediate the chef opens the door, I announced myself this morning. The pastry chef cuts a kind of pancake in the hot pan into small pieces. He roasts his pancakes again sharply before the tasty dessert lands on a plate. With deft hands he dusted fine icing sugar and the dessert already is served immediatly at the sun deck.
“Now I put sugar on it for a tasty crust and put it into the oven.” During the first ten minutes you should not open the oven door, the dumplings do not like the cold air. After two more minutes, the Austrian dessert is finished. Hans Köck put a fine layer of powdered sugar on it. The dessert symbolizes the snowy mountains of Salzburg and I try the Austrian specialty on the sunny terrace of the Jagdschloss – overlooking the snowy Tyrolean mountains.
Accommodation: Located in the small ski area Kühtai the imperial descendant Count Christian of Stolberg-Stolberg greets the guests at his Jagdschloss Kühtai with historic prince rooms and count suites and the best cuisine under Chef John Kleinbichler.
Hotel Jagdschloss Kühtai A6183 Kühtai, Tirol Internet: www.jagdschloss.at Double room with half board from € 150 per person.Ingredients for 3 people
250 g flour
2 eggs
3 tablespoons oil
1/8 liter of milk
30 g butter
200 g of cheese, for example, mountain Cheese
100 g onions
150 ml vegetable stock
chives
1/8 liter of water
Preparation: Mix the eggs with a mixture of milk and water, then produce a dough with flour and salt and leave for a few minutes. Then slice the dough through a coarse sieve into boiling salted water. Cook for about 3 minutes until the dumplings float. Then put them into cold water shortly. Now put some butter in a pan, sauté onions and add the noodles. Pour in the vegetable stock. Dice and add cheese. Before serving, sprinkle with chives.
Kaiserschmarrn
Ingredients for about 4 people
250 g flour
500 ml of milk
6 eggs
1 tablespoon sugar
1 sachet of vanilla sugar
50 g melted butter
pinch of salt
icing sugar
100 g raisins
possibly 5 tablespoons rum
Preparation: If you like, put the raisins at least half an hour in rum, otherwise in water. Mix the egg yolks with real vanilla sugar (no vanillin), some salt and a tablespoon of sugar until fluffy. Gradually stir in flour and milk, then add the melted butter. Mix the egg whites firmly and fold them slowly into the batter. Stir in the raisins. In a pan, melt the butter and pour the batter an inch high. Important: Sear the dough, so that it will form a crust. Then divide, flip and fry again the dough. Now divide it into bite-sized pieces, with two teaspoons of powder sugar and caramelize it. Arrange on plates and sprinkle with powdered sugar.
Salzburger Nockerln
Ingredients for 4 people
8 protein
3 egg yolks
150 g sugar
50 g flour
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
a real vanilla
salt
lemon peel
cranberry compote
Preparation: Preheat oven to 220 degrees with upper and lower heat. Stir the egg whites until stiff and put in very slowly sugar and vanilla. Then stir egg yolks and lemon zest and mix gently. Now clean an oval baking dish with some butter, put the cranberry compote inside and put the egg white in form of three dumplings in a row inside the oval baking form, sprinkle some sugar for the crust. Bake for about 10-12 minutes and do not open the oven earlier, as the dumplings otherwise coincide. Then remove from the oven and sprinkle with powdered sugar.
This text has been translated to the best of my knowledge into English.
Note: This trip was supported by the Jagdschloss Kühtai. The report is intended solely as our own opinions.
