Dorayaki is absolutely my guilty pleasure. Two pancakes sandwiching sweet ‘anko’ (sweet bean paste) is an irresistible sweet and a favourite for Japanese people!
What is Dorayaki?
Dorayaki is one of the well-known and popular traditional Wagashi (Japanese sweets). Many Japanese people, young and old, love Dorayaki. Even a famous Japanese cartoon character called Doraemon loves this treat. Dorayaki looks like a little pancake sandwich filled with sweet azuki bean paste.
What’s in it?
However! Dorayaki is not pancakes. Contrary to what many people think and the look of them, they are not two pancakes filled with azuki bean paste. Those pancake like Japanese cakes are actually more similar to another Japanese traditional cake called “Kastera” in terms of cake batter and texture. The cake batter of Dorayaki contains honey and mirin and the texture of Dorayaki is more like sponge cake like Kasutera.
Origins of the name of Dorayaki
There are a few theories of this. One is that the origin of the name comes from the fact that the shape is similar to the gong of a Japanese musical instrument called “Dora”. Another theory is that the cake was baked on this musical instrument, hence became to be called “Dora Yaki”.
I am from the Kansai region of Japan. In Kansai, Dorayaki is known as “Mikasayama Manju”. Because the famous mountain Wakakusayama in Nara prefecture is also called Mikasayama and the round shape of Dorayaki look like the shape of the gentle slope of that mountain.
Filling variations
Traditionally, Dorayaki filling is Anko, the sweet azuki bean paste. But I am aware that if you don’t grow up with that sweetness like me, some people don’t like it. Dorayaki has evolved and nowadays I see many different filling variations. The one quite popular filling is Nutella! My favourite is chest nuts in azuki bean paste. Other popular ones are custard, fresh cream, or a combination of those fillings. Be creative and find your favourite fillings!
Freezable
If you are like the famous cartoon character, Doraemon, and want to make as many as you can and store them for longer so that you can enjoy Dorayaki everyday. Great news because you can! Many Japanese sweets can be stored frozen. Wrap them individually with cling wrap then put them in a zip lock bag. It can be stored in the freezer for a month.
Here is my recipe for Dorayaki and If you liked it, please rate it and leave a comment below. Also, don’t forget to follow me on Youtube, Pinterest, Facebook , Twitter and Instagram to keep up to date with all the latest happenings on Chopstick Chronicles. Don’t forget to use the hashtag #ChopstickChronicles so I can see your wonderful creations!
And don’t forget to check out Nagi’s Photo book. I have learnt so much from her photography book.
Ingredients
- 150 g flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 2 eggs Large eggs weigh g each
- 110 g caster sugar
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 tsp mirin
- 40 ml water
- 400 g sweet azuki bean paste *4
Instructions
- Sift flour and baking powder and set aside.
- Place eggs, sugar, honey and mirin in a large mixing bowl and beat all together until the egg mixture becomes whitish in colour.
- Wrap the mixing bowl with cling wrap and rest it in the fridge for 30 minutes.
- After 30 minutes rested in the fridge, add 40 ml of water to smooth the batter. *1
- Spray a frying pan or electric pan with oil and heat it up over low heat.
- Pour 2 tbsp of the batter into the pan. If you are using a frying pan, cook one or two at times and if you are using an electric pan, you can make a little more at once. *2
- Place a lid on and cook one side for one minute and 30 seconds or when you see bubbles start to form, flip it over with an egg flipper.
- Cook the other side for about one minute.
- Remove the cake off the heat and place it between the folded kitchen towel to avoid the cake becoming dry.
- Keep making the cake until all batter is cooked.
- When the cakes are cooled down, spread sweet azuki bean paste on one cake and sandwich with another cake and repeat it to make 8 Dorayaki *3
Hi,
I have used 40ml of water for the batter after refrigeration and it has come out looking very watery. And from looking at your photos, your batter looks much thicker. I am not sure what has gone wrong as I have followed your exacts measurements.
Can you clarify where is the mistake? Thanks
Hi Cheryl, the amount of water is depends on the size of the egg you use. If you have good thick consistency, you may not need to add all 40ml. See the *note 1 in the recipe card.