The original dorayaki consisted of only one layer, a single pancake covered with red bean paste. The current “sandwich” of two pancakes with a red bean paste center was developed by a restaurant called Usagiya in 1914. The red bean paste can be used as either tsubuan, where the beans are mashed but remain more intact, chunky, or Koshian where the beans are strained to form a smooth paste. Chestnuts, rice cakes added and other presentations have developed over the years. Anime has heightened the popularity of Dorayaki.
One of the important issues to remember when cooking these pancakes is to keep the heat low, at most medium low, or lower depending on your range. Too hot and the pancake will burn. Further when you cook them at a higher temperature they tend to bunch up when you try to flip them. You want light brown sides, not dark brown or blackened. Also cooking them on lower heat makes for easier turning of the pancake.
Dorayaki: Red Bean Pancake
Ingredients
Batter
- 4 Large eggs
- 5 TBSP honey
- ⅓ cup sugar
- 1½ cups King Arthur Cake Flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 2 tbsp Mirin
- 1-2 TBSP water
Assembly
- Canola oil
- 14.5 ounces Anko red bean paste
Instructions
Batter
- Place the eggs, honey, sugar, flour, baking powder and mirin in a large bowl. Whick well until the mixture turns a bit pale and is well mixed. It should look like pancake batter with a similar consistency.
- If too thick, add more water by the TBSP until you reach the desired consistency.
- Set the batter aside, covered, for at least 30 minutes.
- Preheat a large fry pan, nonstick, at medium low heat.
- Have a small bowl of canola oil and a paper towel. Did the towel in the oil and lightly coat the pan with each set of pancakes you cook.
- Use about 1/4 cup of the batter, for a pancake ~3 inches in diameter.
- Once multiple bubbles form and pop, carefully flip the pancake and cook the other side. Both to a light golden brown color.
- Once cooked, set aside, covered with a lightly damp towel to prevent drying.
Assembly
- Take one pancake, you can use a ~3 inch glass or cookie cutter to make uniform pancake circles.
- Place ~ ¼ cup of the bean paste into the middle of the pancake and spread to the edge of the pancake.
- Place a second pancake on top, press carefully to "seal" the two pancakes.
- Place each assembled Dorayaki to cool. When completely cooked, you can wrap them in plastic wrap, or in a air tight container.
- Additionally, they can be cut in half.
- Although it is suggested that these will keep fof 2-3 days at room temperature, I suggest no more than a day or so. If longer, place the container in the refrigerator. Additionally these can be frozen.
