Dorayaki

Doraemon’s favorite snack: delicious anko (red bean) paste sandwiched between two fluffy pancakes

dorayaki Recipe

makes 4 generously-filled dorayaki, and some extra anko paste

Ingredients

anko Paste (500g)

200g azuki beans (1 cup + 2 tablespoons)

water

100g (½ cup) rock sugar, or granulated sugar

 4g (½ tsp) kosher salt

Pancakes

2 large eggs, separated

45g (¼ cup) granulated sugar

35g (2 tbsp) honey

80g (¾ cup) all-purpose flour

3g (¾ tsp) baking powder

4g (1 tsp) pure vanilla extract

40g (3 tbsp) milk, or whipping cream²

neutral-flavored cooking oil, or melted butter

Directions

The day before or a few hours before, make the anko (red bean) paste. First, rinse the azuki beans and discard any broken ones. Then, there are two options to prepare the beans for cooking: soak the azuki beans in water for 12 hours, or for a speedier process, boil the beans three times.

If using the soak method, soak the azuki beans in room temperature water overnight or for around 12 hours. After soaking, drain the water and rinse the beans again.

If using the boil method, transfer the washed and drained azuki beans to a large pot and add water to about 1 to 2 inches above the beans. Bring the water to boil over high heat, and once boiling, discard the water and put the beans back in the same pot. Add water again, and repeat this process two more times, bringing to boil and discarding the water for a total of three times.

When the azuki beans are prepared, add water to about 1 to 2 inches above the beans, and bring the water to boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, put a lid over the pot and turn the heat down to medium-low, simmering for the next hour or so. The water will evaporate, so it’s important to check on the pot every so often and add a bit more water so that the beans stay submerged. After an hour, pick up a bean and mash with your fingers. If it mashes easily, then the beans are done. If not, then leave for a little longer and check again.

After the azuki beans are finished cooking, discard the water by pouring the beans into a strainer to get all the water out. From here, there are two options for the type of anko paste: Koshian (smooth red bean paste) or Tsubuan (chunky red bean paste); the only difference is the texture between the two.

If making Koshian (smooth red bean paste), transfer the beans to a food processor and process the beans until they become a smooth, fine paste, about a minute or two. When finished, transfer the smooth paste back to the same pot.

If Tsubuan (chunky red bean paste) is preferred, do not put in the food processor and immediately transfer the beans back to the same pot.

Keep the pot on medium-low heat and add the rock sugar. Stir frequently to help the rock sugar melt evenly, and once dissolved, add the salt and continue to stir, letting the moisture evaporate. When you can draw a line with a spatula on the bottom of the pot that stays visible for 1 to 2 seconds, the mixture is ready. The mixture will not exactly resemble a paste yet, as it will still be loose and a bit wet. However, as it cools, the moisture will evaporate and the mixture will thicken into a paste. Transfer the anko paste to a flat baking sheet or parchment paper and let cool completely, before refrigerating in an airtight container.

When ready to make the pancakes, begin by separating the eggs. Place the yolks in a large mixing bowl and the whites in a medium mixing bowl, keeping the yolks at room temperature and egg whites in the refrigerator.

Sift together flour and baking powder into a bowl, and set aside. Using your electric hand mixer, begin beating the egg yolks on slow increasing to medium speed, while slowly pouring in half the sugar. Increase the speed and beat until the egg mixture turns a glossy pale yellow and doubles in volume; when you lift the whisk with some of the egg mixture, the mixture should be thick and fall back to the bowl in ribbons before slowly disappearing back into the mix. Add the honey and vanilla extract and continue to beat. When well-incorporated and batter is smooth, add in the milk or whipping cream and mix well. Then, gently fold in the dry ingredients until just incorporated. Take care not to overmix, as overmixing results in a firmer, less fluffy pancake. Rest the batter in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.

Using your electric hand mixer, beat the egg whites, starting on low speed and increasing to high speed. When the egg whites turn foamy, begin to pour in the rest of the sugar and continue to beat until the egg whites turn glossy and stiff peaks form. Then, gently fold the meringue into the rested batter just until just incorporated. The batter should be thick with a pourable consistency; if too thick, add just a bit more milk or water.

Heat a large, non-stick frying pan over medium-low heat. For best results, take the time to heat the pan slowly; keep the setting on low-medium for at least 5 minutes. Dip a paper towel in vegetable oil or melted butter and coat the bottom of the pan with the oil. Then remove the oil completely; this is the key for an evenly golden brown dorayaki surface. If the oil is not completely removed, the pancakes will end up splotchy because of the oil spots.

Once the pan is hot, turn the stove to medium heat and with a ladle or measuring cup, pour the batter onto the pan to make the pancakes that are about 3 inches in diameter. I usually use a ⅓ measuring cup and fill it about halfway, which is about 3 tbsp of batter. Take care to pour the batter in the same spot so that the pancake spreads evenly outward. When little bubbles dot the surface of the pancake, flip over the pancake and cook the other side. With my stovetop and frying pan, it takes about 1 to 1½ minutes to cook one side and 20 to 30 seconds for the other. When pancake is ready, transfer to a plate or cooling rack and cover with a damp towel to prevent pancakes from drying out. Repeat with the remaining batter.

To assemble the dorayaki, spread the anko paste on a pancake, making sure to put more red bean paste in the center so the shape of dorayaki will be curved. Place another pancake on top and press gently, before wrapping the dorayaki in plastic wrap.

Notes

1. I prefer Tsubuan (chunky style anko paste), and not only because it takes less effort: the red bean pieces mixed with the smooth parts of the paste create a delightful texture. It’s also really worth making anko paste from scratch because fresh anko paste is much better than anything you can buy from the store, since you can adjust the sweetness to exactly you like it and use higher quality red beans. Of the red bean brands I’ve tried, Green Farm’s red bean, to me, has the best flavor and texture. It’s a bit on the pricey side, but well worth it, and you can find it at larger asian grocery stores. Of course, if tight on time or prefer to skip making the paste, buying anko paste from a Japanese grocery store works as well.

2. Some recipes call for full-fat milk, so if you have that on hand, it might be better to use that instead. I use whipping cream because I don’t normally have milk in the house, and it turns out wonderfully. I have also substituted the milk for water for a dairy-free version, which is still very good, but the taste of the pancakes will be a little less nuanced.

3. I prefer using rock sugar because it imparts a more delicate and mellower sweetness to the paste. I am sensitive to things that are too sweet, and granulated sugar leaves a more biting sweetness than I like. You can find rock sugar at any asian grocery store.