Sacheromelett (Sacher omelet)

Viennese cuisine is packed with tempting sweet delights – for instance, the delicious Sacher omelet. This is no ordinary omelet, made from a mixture of just egg and milk – it’s a typical Viennese sweet dish, very similar to a Palatschinke (pancake). So what is the difference between traditional Viennese omelet and Palatschinke? As a general rule, the omelets’ flavor comes largely from the egg yolks in the mixture, whilst in a Palatschinke, the filling takes center stage. Tuck in!

Serves: 6-8

Ingredients:

60g (0,15 lb) dark cooking chocolate glaze
40g (1/8 cup) butter (cold)
50g (3/8 cup) plain flour
200ml (0,3 pt) milk
1 vanilla pod
4 egg yolks
30ml (0,048 pt) apricot schnapps
Zest of half an orange
4 egg whites
Pinch of salt
50g (1/4 cup) brown sugar
50g (1/4 cup) clarified butter

For the filling:

Fresh fruit, fruit compote (e.g. apricot), ice cream (e.g. vanilla) or chocolate sauce

Preparation:

Melt the chocolate in a water bath and allow to cool a little. At the same time, bring the milk to the boil in a saucepan with the vanilla pod - split and with the seeds scraped out. Let the flavor from the vanilla pod infuse the simmering milk briefly, then remove it. Combine the butter with the flour and stir into the milk little by little, to prevent lumps from forming. Continue to stir the mixture until it easily comes away from the side of the pan. Leave to cool a little, then stir in the egg yolks, one by one. Finally, add the melted chocolate, apricot schnapps and orange zest. Whisk the eggs with a pinch of salt and a third of the sugar, until creamy. Fold in the rest of the sugar, bit by bit. Preheat the oven to 220°C. Fold around one third of the egg whites into the mixture using a spatula or wooden spoon before gradually adding the rest. Melt some of the clarified butter in a small pan. Add a ladle of the omelet mixture and smooth flat using the ladle. Once the underside of the omelet is golden brown, pop it in the oven for 5-7 minutes, to extract excess moisture from the top. Continue by frying the next omelet. Always make sure that there is enough butter in the pan, and that it is not too hot. Cook the rest of the omelets in the same way. Add desired filling, cut up the filled omelets and serve.

Enjoy with: Sweet wine