Dorayaki, Japanese Sweet Pancake

RECIPE AND PHOTO: Taste Hong Kong

Ingredients:
1 egg
45g cake flour
40g brown sugar
1/4 tsp baking soda + 1 tbsp water
1 tsp honey + 1 tbsp water
~3 tbsp nutella or ~3 tbsp red bean bean paste
~1/4 tsp cooking oil for pan frying
yields about 6 pancakes of about 8 cm

Method:
Beat egg until become frothy and add sugar. Whisk to dissolve.

Dissolve baking soda and dilute honey with water. Add them in the egg mixture.

Sieve in cake flour. Mix the wet and dry ingredients with a spatula but do not over-mix; break up any lumps by pressing them against the side of mixing bowl.

Cover bowl with a cling film, let the mixture rest for about 30 minutes.

Heat skillet over low heat, spray (or brush) a barely visible layer of oil on it. Ladle batter (slightly more than 1 table spoon) onto skillet. Flip pancakes after bubbles rise, about one minute and a half, and the bottom is golden brown. Fry the other side for another half minute or until done (the second side will not be evenly browned as the first due to the bubbles).

Repeat with the remaining batter; brush oil on skillet if required.

Sandwich two patties with nutella or red bean bean paste. Serve warm. If not consume immediately, seal or wrap the dorayaki to prevent it from turning dry.

*Make sure to cook these pancakes over low heat as the honey content in them burns more easily. If the skillet gets too hot, remove from heat for a while.