Soufflé hotcakes (funwari hottokeki)

Japan’s soufflé hotcakes are incredibly popular and impossibly fluffy (fuwa fuwa). In summer, you’ll also find hotcakes with strawberries and cream; in autumn, mont blanc hotcakes with chestnuts and chestnut cream.

Credit: Alana Dimou

• serves

  2

• prep

  5 minutes

• cook

  20 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 30 g (1 oz) plain (all-purpose) flour
• ¾ tsp baking powder
• 2 eggs, separated
• 1 tbsp milk
• 20 g (¾ oz) sugar
• maple syrup, cream or fruit, to serve

Instructions

1. To make the hotcake batter, sift the flour and baking powder into a large mixing bowl and whisk to combine. In a separate bowl, beat the egg yolks and milk together and fold into the dry ingredients until just combined.
2. Just before cooking, beat the egg whites and sugar together in a clean, dry bowl, until stiff peaks form. Fold into the hotcake base, taking care not to over mix.
3. To make 1 large hotcake, preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) and grease and line a 16 cm (6 in) metal cake ring with baking paper. Grease a medium oven-safe non-stick frying pan, place the cake ring in the centre and heat over medium heat until a drop of cold water placed in the pan sizzles, but doesn’t evaporate immediately. Pour the hotcake batter into the cake ring and transfer the pan to the preheated oven for approximately 15 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the hotcake comes out clean.
4. Remove the hotcake from the oven and, using a pair of tongs, carefully remove the cake ring and baking paper. Place the frying pan back on the stovetop over medium heat. Carefully flip the hotcake and cook until the other side is golden brown.
5. To make 4 small hotcakes, grease a large non-stick frying pan and place over medium heat until a drop of cold water placed in the pan sizzles, but doesn’t evaporate immediately. Place 4 even mounds of batter in the pan and reduce the heat to low. Using the back of a ladle, shape the mounds into circles. Cook for approximately 5 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre of a hotcake comes out clean, then turn and cook for a further 5 minutes, or until both sides are golden brown.
6. Serve the hotcake or hotcakes immediately, accompanied by your choice of toppings and condiments.

 

Recipe from Tokyo Local by Caryn Liew and Brendan Liew, Smith Street Books, RRP $39.99

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.