Dorayaki (Japanese Red Bean Pancake)

One of my favorite wagashi

I was not a huge fan of wagashi (Japanese traditional sweets) when I was a kid. I always prefer western sweets like chocolate or ice cream. However, I always liked dorayaki. Especially after I watched a famous cartoon show called “Doraemon” in which the main character’s favorite food is dorayaki.

What’s the filling for Dorayaki?

Dorayaki is a pancake sandwich with sweet red bean paste as the filling. For wagashi, there are two types of sweet red beans used. One is tsubu an, which is chunky and has pulp in it, and another one is koshi an, which is smooth and has no pulp in it. For dorayaki, you can use both kinds of an, but tsubu an seems like a more popular one for dorayaki in Japan.

Homemade red bean paste vs. store-bought?

Making your own red bean paste is the cheapest way, however, it takes a lot of time to make. You don’t have to make your own sweet red beans paste. If you have an Asian grocery store near you, most of them have red bean paste either in the can or in plastic bags. In fact, you don’t even need to use the sweet red bean paste. It’s not traditional and you can sandwich whipped cream, fruits, or anything you like instead. Chestnut is also one of the popular ingredients to sand with red beans.

How long does it last?

If your filling is only red bean paste, dorayaki will last 2 to 3 days in a cool place. Or you can freeze them and store up to a month. If you are filled with whipped cream or fresh fruits, it is better to eat the same day you made it. Please make sure you wrap them with plastic wrap to prevent the pancake become dry.

My favorite store where I buy Dorayaki

You can buy dorayaki everywhere in Japan. Besides, there are some dorayaki specialty stores as well in Tokyo. Of course, that’s not the case in the U.S. However, there is one Japanese confectionary store called Minamoto Kitchoan in New York, and they have a really tasty dorayaki. I often buy them as a gift for friends and families. They have an online store that delivers to almost any state in the U.S. The store is also located in U.K, Taiwan, Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia, and Thailand.

Serves: 8 pieces Prep Time: 50 minutes Cooking Time: 25 minutes 25 minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 5.0/5

( 2 voted )

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Ingredients

• 3 pc (150g) of eggs
• ¾ cup (150g) of sugar
• 1 tablespoon of honey
• 1 tablespoon of mirin
• * 3 tablespoons of water
• * 1 teaspoon of baking soda
• 1 cup and ¼ cup (180g) of Pastry or All-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons of water
• Sweet Bean Paste 

Instructions

 

1. In a big bowl, whisk eggs, sugar, and honey together. Add mirin and mix well until it starts forming.
   
   
2. In a small bowl, add *water and *baking soda, and stair them. Then add the water mix into the (1) egg mixture.
   
   
3. Add flour into the mixture and whisk until the batter becomes smooth. Do not knit the dough, just gently mix.
   
   
4. Cover the mixture bowl, and rest the batter for 30 minutes. 
   
   
5. Add 3 tablespoons of water into the batter.
   
   
6. Heat a non-stick frying pan with a small amount of oil, and wipe excess oil. At the low heat, drop the batter onto the pan, like a pancake, about 3” (8cm) of diameter size.
   
   
7. Cook about 2 to 3 minutes until the surface of the pancake has a lot of bubbles and the edges become dry.
   
   
8. Flip over and cook another side for 15 seconds to 1 minute. Then transfer the pancake to a plate a cover them with plastic wrap or wet towels.
   
   
9. Take one pancake and place a red bean paste in the center, then cover with another pancake.
   
   
10. Wrap it with plastic wrap, gently press with hand, pinch to seal the edges of the pancakes. Store them until ready to eat.