Dorayaki Recipe – Japanese Cooking 101

Dorayaki is one of the most famous Japanese sweet delicacies. It is made from 2 sweet fluffy pancakes filled with anko or sweet red bean paste which is an important ingredient in many Japanese traditional confections. Although it would look like a typical pancake, it tastes nothing like it that needs syrup or honey to make it tasty. It is commonly served as a snack and is loved by kids and adults alike. If you are familiar with the Japanese cartoon character Doraemon, you know that this is his favorite food. In fact, the packaging of store-bought dorayaki usually bears Doraemon’s picture on it. As the Japanese continue to innovate their foods, dorayaki is now made a variety of fillings.

With this easy-to-make recipe, you will be able to make delicious traditional dorayaki perfect for an afternoon snack with a hot matcha green tea.

Ingredients:

This recipe takes about 20 to 30 minutes to make. Serves 3.

• 1 ¼ cup of all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 2 eggs
• ½ cup of sugar
• 1 tbsp honey
• ¾ cup of milk
• ¼ cup of anko (sweet red bean paste)
• oil

Instructions:

Mix together flour and baking soda in a bowl, then set aside.
In a separate bowl, whisk eggs, sugar, and honey together until smooth.
Pour in milk and continue whisking until smooth.
Add in the flour mixture and whisk until everything is well combined and you get a smooth batter.
Heat a non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat.
Drizzle some oil and use a paper towel to spread the oil on the surface of the pan as well as remove any excess.
Once the pan is hot, turn the heat down to medium-low.
Pour ⅛ cup of the batter into the pan.
Cook for about 2 minutes or until bubbles appear on the surface.
Flip the pancake and cook the other side for another minute.
Transfer the pancake to a plate and cover with a damp paper towel to prevent it from drying out while you cook the rest of the batter.
To assemble the dorayaki, put a tablespoon of anko in the center of the pancake.
Cover with another piece of pancake, then wrap with a plastic wrap.
Gently squeeze and press the sides of the pancake to seal.
Remove the dorayaki from the plastic wrap just before serving.

Ideas And Tips:

Canned anko can be purchased from any Japanese or Asian store. If you want to make anko, simply boil a cup of red mung beans in 4 cups of water over high heat for 5 minutes. Strain the boiled red mung beans, then put them again in a clean pot with 4 cups of water. Cover the pot with a lid and cook over low heat for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Strain the softened red mung beans, then put them back in the pot. Add 1 12 cups of sugar and simmer over medium-high heat for 10 minutes while stirring constantly. Turn the heat off and immediately transfer the anko to a container.

Other filling options for dorayaki are chocolate frosting, matcha cream, caramel, fruit jams, hazelnut spread, peanut butter or even ice cream.

You can store freshly made dorayaki in the fridge for up to a week or in the freezer for up to a month. When you are ready to serve, remove the dorayaki from the plastic wrap, then reheat it in the oven for 10 minutes at 350 °F.

images – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HqXfW5B3Qq4