Sorry for shouting, but I’m so excited!! Ever since the first time I laid eyes on those giggly giant fluffy Japanese pancakes, I’ve been obsessed. We may or may not have been to almost every fluffy pancake place in Tokyo because of my obsession – here’s a run down on the places we’ve been to. I love the way Japanese pancakes taste: light, airy, and oh so delicious.
The best part of going to the pancake places, aside from eating the pancakes, is that you get to watch them expertly shape, flip, and plate up serving after serving of fluffy goodness. It’s nice to watch but also kind of awkward because I’m sure the pancake peeps don’t really want anyone staring at them. I would have major anxiety if people were watching me do my job day after day after day.
Heck, I was anxious making these pancakes in the safety of my own home in my joggers and sweatshirt. It’s a good thing I was in comfy clothes because these pancakes have been years in the making and to be honest, I failed a couple times before they came out just the way I wanted them.
How to make fluffy Japanese pancakes
- Mix. Mix the egg yolk and sugar until frothy, then mix in the milk. Sift in the flour and baking powder, making a smooth batter. Set aside.
- Whip. Make the meringue by beating together sugar, egg whites, and cream of tartar. When the egg whites hold their shape and are stiff and glossy, they’re ready.
- Incorporate. Fold the egg yolk batter into the whites, being careful not to deflate.
- Cook. Heat up a pan (or a crepe maker) on very, very low heat. Lightly oil the pan then scoop out a large dollop of batter, cover and cook for 4-5 minutes. Remove the lid then pile some more batter on and add a couple drops of water. Cover and cook. When the bottoms are golden, very carefully flip, add a couple more drops of water, then cover and cook. Remove from the pan and enjoy immediately with butter, syrup, and powdered sugar. The pancakes will deflate as they cool down.
Why are my pancakes flat?
There are two culprits for flat pancakes: your meringue wasn’t strong enough or you over mixed the meringue and egg yolk batter. The meringue is key to making fluffy pancakes so make sure that they hold a stiff peak. Over mixing can lead to deflating the pancakes as well, so do a gentle scoop and fold motion when mixing together the whites and yolks.
Why are my pancakes fluffy then deflate?
All soufflés deflate eventually. The reason why soufflés are so fluffy is the hot air that’s trapped inside. When soufflés cool down, the hot air inside escapes, leaving your pancakes less fluffy. Unfortunately there’s no beating science. The key is eating them right away!
How do I whip the egg whites?
Make sure your utensils are COMPLETELY clean and there is absolutely no oil or fat residue on your whisk or bowl. If you break your yolks as your separating the eggs the whites won’t whip up. Use a stainless steel or glass bowl and make sure it’s completely clean. Don’t use silicone or plastic bowls or utensils – even when they seem clean, there’s a possibility of oily residue that will make it hard for your eggs to whip up properly. Whipping egg whites takes time, so don’t be surprised if it takes a while for them to whip up.
This is THE best souffle pancake recipe, trust me. I’ve made so many successful soufflé pancakes now, I can pretty much start my own cafe and I want you to be able to soufflé pancake too. Hopefully this soufflé pancake recipe helps you live the cottagecore life with some home cafe vibes.
What is a Japanese soufflé pancake?
A Japanese soufflé pancake is a pancake made using soufflé techniques. Egg whites are whipped up with sugar into a glossy thick meringue then mixed with a batter made with the yolks. Soufflé pancakes are incredibly popular in Japan.
Soufflé pancakes are fluffy, jiggly, sweet, soft, and so, so delicious. They taste like you are eating a sweet pancake cloud, with butter and syrup!
You only need six ingredients to make soufflé pancakes.
- Eggs. Eggs make up the bulk of the pancakes. It’s best to use room temp eggs.
- Sugar. Sugar adds sweetness. If you don’t want to use sugar and make keto soufflé pancakes, you can substitute in something like Swerve for a sugar-free alternative.
- Milk. Milk helps smooth out the pancake batter.
- Flour. You need just the tiniest amount of flour to help your pancakes hold their shape. If you want to make keto soufflé pancakes, use superfine almond flour.
- Baking powder. Baking powder is what makes the pancakes rise tall and fluffy.
- Cream of tartar. Cream of tartar is a stabilizer that will help your egg whites whip up to their potential. Stable fluffy egg whites are the key to successfully making soufflé pancakes. If you don’t have cream of tartar, you can sub in 1/2 teaspoon of lemon juice.
These Fluffy Pancakes Are AMAZING!
FAQ
What are Japanese pancakes called?
What is a small thick pancake called?
Why are American pancakes thick?
What is a thick fluffy pancake?
Thick fluffy pancakes are usually called America-style or American Pancakes. They are made thicker and fluffy with the addition of baking powder helping them rise. The batter is also a thicker, and less runny batter compared to crepes. This coupled with not spreading the batter when pouring on to the pan, makes for a thicker fluffier pancake.
What is a thick pancake?
Thick pancakes that are fluffy, not dense, with a tender, pillowy soft crumb. Much like Japanese pancakes, these cook up extra thick and light. Refined coconut oil is odorless, flavorless, and solid at room temperature, with an extraordinary shelf life that makes it the perfect foundation for a shelf-stable mix.
Are American pancakes thicker than crepes?
American are slightly larger and thicker and often include melted butter in the batter. Thick fluffy pancakes are usually called America-style or American Pancakes. They are made thicker and fluffy with the addition of baking powder helping them rise. The batter is also a thicker, and less runny batter compared to crepes.
What is a pancake made out of?
Made from plain flour, milk and eggs to create a thin batter, and cooked in a frying pan. Pancakes the British way, were traditionally served with a squeeze of lemon and scattering of sugar (the best way in our family’s view!).