Dorayaki — A Snack with Endless Creative Possibilities

"Dorayaki" is a sweet snack consisting of "anko"—a paste made by simmering adzuki beans (small, red beans) with sugar—sandwiched between round pancakes. Hold it in one hand, take a bite, and enjoy the faint, sweet aroma, the fluffy, moist texture and the comforting flavor. This is a classic treat in Japan, loved by children and adults alike.

A Classic Japanese Snack with a Slight Western Flavor

A "dora" is a circular metal instrument that you strike to make a sound, similar to a cymbal. One likely theory is that dorayaki was named after this instrument because of its similar shape. Another theory is that the "dora" was heated up and used as a pan on which to fry the pancake batter. Even if you don't have a pan to hand, putting an instrument on the fire to cook your snacks on is quite a bold thing to do. Professional musicians might not be too keen on the idea, but it's certainly fun to imagine!

The first dorayaki were actually square-shaped snacks with a dough made of wheat flour and water, which was fried and then wrapped around the anko. The shape changed from square to round, and then when Western food culture was introduced to Japan just before the 20th century, people began to use eggs in the batter to make it soft and fluffy, giving us the dorayaki we know today. In Japan back then, dorayaki was a modern snack that incorporated new and tasty Western flavors.

The batter spreads out when dropped onto a steel hotplate or frying pan. Drop it on in small circles and it will spread out to just the right size.

Anko: An Essential Ingredient in Japanese Sweets

The anko used in snacks like dorayaki is said to have come from China in around the 15th century. Today, it's an essential ingredient of Japanese confectionery that's used in all kinds of sweet snacks. In fact, it's said that being able to make delicious anko is the most important skill for artisans who make traditional Japanese sweets. Anko is made by simmering adzuki beans with sugar. If you leave the beans whole, you get "tsubu-an," and if you strain the mixture to make a paste, you get "koshi-an." Whether you use tsubu-an or koshi-an depends on what you want to use the anko for, as well as on your own preference. Anko doesn't just have to be made from adzuki beans — there are other types too, like "shiro-an," made with white beans or white soybeans, "uguisu-an," made from green peas, "imo-an," made from sweet potatoes, and "kuri-an," made from chestnuts. Shiro-an can also be mixed with other ingredients: adding sesame gives you "goma-an," adding egg yolk gives you "kimi-an," and adding yuzu, a Japanese citrus fruit, gives you "yuzu-an." There are so many flavor variations to enjoy. Besides using it for Japanese sweets, you can even spread anko on toast like jam, serve it with ice cream, or put it in hot milk and drink it — delicious!

The anko at the front is tsubu-an, and the anko at the back is koshi-an. Japanese anko fans often debate about which is better!

Shiro-an, made of white beans, has a milder taste than anko made of adzuki beans. It also goes well with fruit.

Dorayaki are delicious just filled with anko, but you can also add whipped cream.

The Famous Doraemon Loves Dorayaki Too!

Do you know Doraemon, the cartoon character who's found popularity both in Japan and other countries? Doraemon is a cat-shaped robot who comes from the future, and his favorite food is dorayaki. The reason he loves dorayaki so much is that his first girlfriend gave it to him as a present to cheer him up. The taste of dorayaki reminds Doraemon of his unforgettable first love.

But it's not only Doraemon who loves dorayaki — it's also popular with foreign visitors to Japan, and there's even a dorayaki bakery in Paris, France. Sandwiched between the pancakes, or sometimes on top of them, you'll find anko (of course!), but also lemon cream, praline cream, and even caramelized apple.　That's right — dorayaki are delicious whatever you choose to put in them! Coffee-flavored cream or chocolate are great, and so are strawberries or other fruit paired with mascarpone cheese or whipped cream, then drizzled with honey or maple syrup. You can even put bacon or cured ham in with the anko for a slightly salty twist. There are lots of different ways you can get creative with dorayaki and enjoy a snack that's a little bit different.

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If you make plenty, you can give some to your friends, too!

Dorayaki Recipe

• Ingredients (makes around 10–12 dorayaki)

For the pancake batter

125 g cake flour
2 g baking soda (dissolved in a small amount of water)
100 g granulated sugar　
2 eggs (about 100 g)
10 g honey
Water: 27.5 ml

For the filling

Some tsubu-an
Some mascarpone cheese
Some strawberries

• Method

1. Mix the liquid ingredients

Crack the eggs into a bowl and mix them thoroughly with a whisk.

Add the honey and the baking soda you dissolved in a small amount of water, and mix.

Add the granulated sugar and mix until it has dissolved into the mixture.

2. Mix in the dry ingredients

Sieve the cake flour into the egg mixture.

Mix with a whisk. To avoid a lumpy mixture, start whisking from the center and then gradually work outward to incorporate the flour.

3. Let the batter rest

Once the mixture is complete, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and leave it to sit at room temperature for at least 1 hour (or put it in the fridge if the air temperature is high).

4. Fry the pancakes

Preheat a hotplate to 170°C. Add a very small amount of water (not included in the ingredients) to adjust the consistency until the mixture flows smoothly when scooped up with a rubber spatula.

Scoop up the mixture with a ladle and pour it onto the hotplate in circles of 7–8 cm diameter.

When bubbles appear on the surface, flip over the pancake with a spatula.

Once the underside has cooked for a short time and is starting to brown, put the pancake on a cooling rack and leave it to cool at room temperature.

5. Add the filling

Hold a pancake bottom-side up in your hand and spoon on the anko, or the mascarpone with the strawberries sliced in half.

Put one more pancake on top to sandwich the fillings inside.

Notes:

If you have caster sugar, you can use that instead of granulated sugar. If you don't have any baking soda, add 3 g of baking powder to the sieve with the flour.
If using a frying pan, preheat it well at a medium heat and then briefly press the bottom of the pan against a damp cloth. Place the pan back on the medium heat and start to cook the batter right away. Do this between each pancake to ensure the pancakes cook evenly on the surface.
Once you've sandwiched the anko, wrap up the dorayaki to prevent it from drying out. Dorayaki should be eaten within 3 days.

Recipe by Tsukuda Sachiko from Wagashi Kunpu