Japanese Souffle Pancakes
Thick, tall and jiggly Japanese souffle pancakes made with a meringue-lightened batter, cooked low and slow with steam, and served with whipped cream, berries and maple syrup. Recipe by Namiko Chen of Just One Cookbook.
⏱️ Prep: 15 min🍳 Cook: 15 min
Ingredients
| 2 | large eggs | |
| 1 1/2 tbsp | 23 ml | whole milk |
| 1/4 tsp | 1.3 ml | vanilla extract |
| 1/4 cup | 60 ml | cake flour |
| 1/2 tsp | 2.5 ml | baking powder |
| 2 tbsp | 30 ml | granulated sugar |
| 1 tbsp | 15 ml | neutral flavor oil (for greasing the pan) |
| 2 tbsp | 30 ml | water (for steaming) |
| 1/2 cup | 120 ml | heavy whipping cream (optional) |
| 1 1/2 tbsp | 23 ml | granulated sugar (for cream) |
| 1 tbsp | 15 ml | confectioners' sugar |
| — | fresh berries | |
| — | maple syrup |
Instructions
- Gather all ingredients. You will need a non-stick frying pan with a lid, large enough to cook 3 pancakes at once.
- Separate the egg whites and yolks into two bowls. Put the whites in the freezer for 15 minutes.
- Add milk and vanilla to the yolks and whisk until thick and frothy.
- Sift the cake flour and baking powder into the yolk mixture.
- Whisk to combine thoroughly (do not over-mix). Set aside.
- After 15 minutes, remove the whites (they should be half frozen) and begin beating.
- When frothy and pale, gradually add the sugar (about 1/3 at a time) and continue whipping.
- Beat until glossy and firm; stop when lifting the mixer gives stiff peaks that slightly bend over.
- Heat the pan to 300 F (150 C) over the lowest heat. Brush with oil and wipe off any excess.
- Whisk 1/3 of the whites into the yolk mixture (don't worry about air bubbles here).
- Fold in half of the remaining whites with a whisk, gently, without breaking the bubbles.
- Transfer the yolk mixture into the remaining whites and fold together gently but thoroughly.
- Keeping the pan at 300 F (150 C), scoop the batter and make tall pancakes, stacking a second scoop on each. Each pancake gets about 4 scoops total (12 scoops for 3 pancakes).
- Once all pancakes have 2 scoops and the surface looks slightly dry, stack one more scoop on each, keeping them high.
- Set a timer for 6-7 minutes, add 1 Tbsp water to 3 empty spaces in the pan and cover with the lid.
- After 2 minutes, add one more scoop to each pancake, stacking high not wide; top up the water if it has evaporated. Cover and cook.
- After 6-7 minutes, gently lift a pancake with an offset spatula. If stuck, wait until firmer.
- Slightly pull the pancake to create space and gently flip it with a rolling motion.
- Add water to the empty spaces and cook the other side 4-5 minutes on the lowest heat.
- Once nicely browned, transfer to serving plates.
- Top with whipped cream and berries, dust with confectioners' sugar and drizzle with maple syrup.
Fresh Whipped Cream: 1. Prepare an ice bath and set a clean dry bowl over it; add the heavy cream and sugar. 2. Whisk on high until medium-firm peaks form; keep chilled until serving.