Dorayaki (Sweet Red Bean Pancake)

Method15 steps · about 55 min

1. 1

   Step 1: Gently beat the egg (1) in a bowl, add the 40 g caster sugar and mix well without whipping in lots of air.

   Uses 1 egg at room temperature · 40 g caster sugar

2. 2

   Step 2: Mix the honey (1 tsp) and mirin (½ tbsp) into the sweetened egg.

   Uses Sweetened beaten egg · 1 tsp honey · ½ tbsp mirin

3. 3

   Step 3: Dissolve the baking soda (¼ tsp) in its ½ tsp water, then mix this into the batter.

   Uses Egg, honey and mirin mixture · ¼ tsp baking soda · ½ tsp water to dissolve baking soda

4. 4

   Step 4: Add the 45 g sifted flour and mix briefly until no lumps remain.

   Uses Batter with dissolved baking soda · 45 g flour, sifted

5. 5

   Step 5: Cover the bowl and rest the batter in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

   Chill batter · 30 minUses Complete pancake batter

6. 6

   Step 6: Lift some batter with the beater and let it fall back into the bowl. It should leave a brief trace before the surface becomes smooth. If too thick, mix in a little extra water; if too runny, mix in a little extra flour.

   Uses Rested pancake batter · Extra water only if needed to loosen batter · Extra flour only if needed to thicken batter

7. 7

   Step 7: Heat a non-stick frying pan or hot plate to about 180°C / 356°F. Apply a little oil, then wipe it off thoroughly to leave a thin film for an evenly browned surface.

   Uses A little oil for wiping the pan

8. 8

   Step 8: Gently pour about one quarter of the batter into the pan to form an 8 cm circle. The complete batter makes four pancakes.

   Uses About one quarter of the complete adjusted batter · Heated lightly wiped pan

9. 9

   Step 9: Cook until larger bubbles rise and nearly pop or break open. Slide a thin spatula underneath, flip the pancake and cook the second face for about 15 seconds, until the pancake is cooked through with no wet batter in its centre. Avoid prolonged cooking that makes it dry.

   Cook flipped pancake · 1 minUses First pancake cooking in the pan

   
10. 10

    Step 10: Transfer the cooked pancake to a plate and cover it with a clean damp towel or kitchen paper. Cook the remaining batter in the same way to make three more pancakes, keeping them covered to prevent drying.

    Uses First cooked pancake · Remaining three quarters of the adjusted batter · Water to dampen the external clean cover · Same lightly wiped pan for remaining pancakes

11. 11

    Step 11: Place one pancake on a smooth plate with its less-smooth second-cooked face upwards.

    Uses One of the four cooked pancakes

12. 12

    Step 12: Spread 30 g of the coarse sweet red bean paste over this pancake, leaving a small margin around the edge.

    Uses First pancake with second-cooked face upward · 30 g tsubu-an for the first sandwich

13. 13

    Step 13: Top with a second pancake, keeping its smooth first-cooked face on the outside, to make the first sandwich.

    Uses First pancake with 30 g tsubu-an · Second of the four cooked pancakes

14. 14

    Step 14: Wrap the sandwich in cling wrap and gently press around its rounded edge to bring the pancakes together. Assemble and shape the second sandwich in the same way using the remaining two pancakes and the remaining 30 g tsubu-an.

    Uses First assembled dorayaki · Remaining two cooked pancakes · Remaining 30 g tsubu-an for second sandwich

    
15. 15

    Step 15: Unwrap the two dorayaki and serve.

    Uses Two shaped dorayaki