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Japanese pancakes fluffy airy in a frying pan

Fluffy, Airy Japanese Pancakes (Soufflé Pancakes)

Tall, gorgeous, one-of-a-kind pancakes for breakfast! Japanese pancakes are famously fluffy — almost like a soufflé, just as delicate and airy. You get there by folding well-whipped egg whites into the batter and building the pancakes up in layers as they cook. It's really something!

katushafin

Recipe author

Japanese pancakes fluffy airy in a frying pan

Composition / ingredients

Servings:

Eggs

Flour

Baking powder

0.5

Sugar

Milk

Butter

Vanilla sugar

Salt (a pinch)

Translation table of volumetric measures

Nutrients and energy value of the composition of the recipe

By weight of the composition:

Proteins 17 % 8 g

Fats 28 % 13 g

Carbohydrates 55 % 26 g

261 kcal

GI: 4 / 0 / 96

Cooking method

Cooking time: 25 min

Step 1:

How do you make fluffy, airy Japanese pancakes in a skillet? Gather your ingredients.
Step 2:

Separate the eggs into whites and yolks. Do it carefully so no yolk gets into the whites, or they won't whip up.
Step 3:

Add one tablespoon of the sugar to the yolks and mix well.
Step 4:

Pour in the milk and stir again until smooth.
Step 5:

Mix the flour with the baking powder and sift it into the egg mixture.
Step 6:

Stir into a smooth batter. It may seem a bit thick — don't worry, that's how it should be.
Step 7:

Whip the whites with a pinch of salt (it helps them whip faster) — start slow, then increase the speed. Gradually add the remaining tablespoon of sugar as you go. Beat to stiff peaks. A good test: turn the bowl upside down — well-whipped whites stay put and won't slide out.
Step 8:

Fold the whipped whites into the egg-and-flour batter, very gently — a silicone spatula is best, since it won't deflate the whites. Use quick, careful strokes, folding from the bottom up.
Step 9:

Fold just until the color is even, like this.
Step 10:

Set a skillet over medium heat and warm it well. A bit of butter added to it should bubble but not burn — adjust the heat as needed.
Step 11:

Spoon in about two tablespoons of batter per pancake. Add two teaspoons of water to the pan and cover with a lid.
Step 12:

Cook the pancakes, covered, for a couple of minutes.
Step 13:

Add another tablespoon of batter on top of each pancake. Cover again and cook for another two minutes.
Step 14:

Open the lid once more and add another spoonful of batter to each. Cover and keep cooking.
Step 15:

Now carefully flip the pancakes using two spatulas. You can see in the photo that my heat was a bit too high and the pancakes browned slightly. Cover again and cook them through. The finished pancakes are very tall and fluffy but deflate quickly, so serve them right away.

I'd suggest cooking these in a mix of vegetable oil and butter to keep them from burning.
To keep the pancakes from spreading and get an even, uniform shape, try cutting strips of parchment or foil about 1 1/4 inches (3 cm) wide, gluing the ends together with a dab of oil to form ring molds — that way all the pancakes come out the same size. A pastry ring of the right size works too.
A note on pans: the wrong skillet can ruin even a great recipe, so choose a good one that holds heat evenly.
Be ready to use a little more or less flour than the recipe states. Go by the consistency of the batter, not the exact amount. Knowing how flour behaves helps you avoid mistakes.
Every oil is only good up to its smoke point, after which it starts to burn and form harmful compounds. Pick an oil with a high smoke point for frying and don't let it get too hot.