Experience the delight of Japanese Pancakes without having to fly to Tokyo. Let’s dive into this mouth-watering recipe that promises a taste of Japan right from your home kitchen.
What are Japanese Pancakes?
Japanese pancakes, also known as Soufflé Pancakes, are a popular breakfast and brunch dish in Japan. These pancakes are not your typical flapjacks. They are light as a feather, jiggly, and have an incredibly soft, airy texture that melts in your mouth.
Japanese Pancakes: A Unique Blend of Ingredients
The key to achieving the fluffy texture of Japanese Pancakes lies in the ingredients used. Here’s the list you need to gather:
- Eggs: The core of the pancake, room temperature eggs are preferred.
- Sugar: For that sweetness we all love in pancakes. You can also use a sugar-free alternative like Swerve for a keto-friendly version.
- Milk: It smoothens out the pancake batter.
- Flour: A small quantity is required to maintain the pancakes’ shape. For a keto-friendly version, use superfine almond flour.
- Baking powder: The magic ingredient that helps the pancakes rise and become fluffy.
- Cream of tartar: This stabilizer assists the egg whites in reaching their full fluffy potential. If you don’t have cream of tartar, you can substitute it with 1/2 teaspoon of lemon juice.
Preparing the Perfect Fluffy Japanese Pancakes
Now that we have our ingredients ready, it’s time to dive into the cooking process. Here’s a step-by-step guide:
- Mix: Combine the egg yolk and sugar till it turns frothy. Then, add the milk. Sift the flour and baking powder into the mixture to form a smooth batter. Set aside.
- Whip: Make the meringue by beating the sugar, egg whites, and cream of tartar together. When the egg whites hold their shape and turn stiff and glossy, they’re ready.
- Incorporate: Gently fold the egg yolk batter into the egg whites, ensuring not to deflate the mixture.
- Cook: On very low heat, lightly oil a pan and scoop out a large dollop of batter. Cover and cook for 4-5 minutes. After removing the lid, add more batter on top and a few drops of water. Cover and cook again. Once the bottoms are golden, carefully flip the pancakes, add a few more drops of water, then cover and cook. Remove from the pan and enjoy immediately with butter, syrup, and powdered sugar. Note that the pancakes will deflate as they cool down.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are my pancakes flat?
The main culprits for flat pancakes are a weak meringue or over-mixing of the meringue and egg yolk batter. Ensure that your meringue holds a stiff peak and be gentle when mixing the egg whites and yolks.
Why are my pancakes fluffy then deflate?
All soufflés deflate eventually due to the hot air trapped inside escaping when they cool down. The key is to eat them right away!
How do I whip the egg whites?
Ensure your utensils are completely clean and free from oil or fat residue. Use a stainless steel or glass bowl and be patient as whipping egg whites may take some time.
Japanese Pancakes Toppings
While Japanese pancakes taste fantastic with butter and maple syrup, you can also experiment with other toppings. Here are a few suggestions:
- Maple butter: Mix 2 parts room temperature butter with 1 part maple syrup.
- Whipped cream: Whip 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream with 1.5 tbsp icing sugar until soft peaks form.
- Matcha whipped cream: Whip 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream with 1.5 tbsp icing sugar and 1.5 tsp matcha powder until soft peaks form.
- Whipped cheesecake: Whip 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream with 1/4 cup cream cheese, 1/4 cup marscapone and 2 tbsp icing sugar.
- Strawberries: Sliced strawberries, whipped cream, strawberry jam.
- Bananas: Caramelized bananas, whipped cream, Nutella, chopped roasted hazelnuts.
- Matcha: Matcha whipped cream, crumbled matcha cookies, shaved white chocolate.