My Hubby and I both grew up in Hong Kong. When we were still little kids (once upon a time), one of our favorite cartoons to watch after school was Doraemon (叮噹). If you have ever watched Doraemon, you probably knew that he loves Dorayaki (日本銅鑼燒). He would fall for any traps whenever Dorayaki is involved! It happens that, my Hubby loves Dorayaki too, as much as Doraemon does! No wonder my Hubby said I always use food to “trick” him (key words here are “he said”). If you’re not familiar with Dorayaki, it’s a type of Japanese confection; pretty much a pancake sandwich with a red bean (Azuki) paste filling.
I wasn't a big fan of Dorayaki, until I started to make my own. I guess it’s the quality of the homemade version that has won me over. They are quite simple to make and I surely enjoyed the tender and softness of these little treats. Imagine biting into these pillow-ey pancakes filled with slightly sweetened and aromatic red bean paste! Oh my! You can use store bought red bean paste for this recipe, but I always like to make my own. I simply use the cooked sweetened red beans and blend it a few seconds in the mini food processor until it reached the consistency I like . Please click here for the Red Bean Paste recipe.
Want to see how I make these Dorayaki? Follow me to the kitchen!
1) and 2) In a large mixing bowl, whisk eggs, sugar, salt, honey, and oil together until the mixture is incorporated.
3) Sift flour, baking powder and baking soda into the bowl. Gently whisk the flour mixture into the egg mixture until just combine.
4) The batter should be a little bit thinner than pancake batter and slightly thicker than crepe batter. If mixture is too thick, add a little water, a teaspoon at a time.
5) Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium low heat, I use my trusty crepe pan. Drizzle 1/4 a teaspoon of oil onto the pan and wipe excess oil with a clean paper towel.
6) With a table measuring spoon, gently drop a tablespoon of batter onto the pan.
7) and 8) When the edges of the pancake start to bubble, flip over and cook the other side until golden brown and delicious. Transfer to a plate and let cool.
9) To assemble, spread 1 to 2 tablespoons of red bean paste onto one side of the pancake, cover with another pancake and enjoy!
Pretty simple, isn't it? They are pretty amazing, too. You can taste the floral sweetness from the honey in the pancakes. And the earthy red bean paste filling is a perfect compliment to these pancakes. Since I made my own fillings, the sweetness is just right and not overly sweet. With this recipe, I usually have leftovers and I like to store them in the fridge, individually wrapped in plastic wraps, so they stay nice and moist.
Here’s is the video tutorial on how to make these adorable and delectable Dorayaki.
If you like my video tutorial, don’t forget to subscribe to my Youtube channel after watching the video. If you have a recipe that you would like to see it in a video tutorial, please leave me a comment below and I’ll try my best to respond to it, just for you! So, what is your childhood favorite TV show or cartoon? Or your childhood favorite snacks that you can’t wait to create a homemade version of? I would love to hear from you.
Props and Tools used in this post:
Nonstick Crepe Pan (Please click here for product information)
Doraemon Plush Toy (Click here for similar product)
Bamboo Placemats (Click here for more information)
Shoji Paper Roll Up Window Blinds used as backdrop (Click here to see product information)
Heat Proof Omelet Turner (Click here for product information)
