She Strengthens

The Fluffiest Pancakes You’ve Ever Tasted: A Step-by-Step Guide

The Rise of Japanese Souffle Pancakes

Before the internet was swept away by dalgona coffee, Japanese souffle pancakes were the stars of Instagram. And it’s easy to see why – their jiggly, puffy texture is utterly enchanting. But what if you could create these fluffy wonders in the comfort of your own home? It’s not as difficult as you might think.

The Secret to Success: Whipped Egg Whites and Steam

The key to achieving that signature fluffiness lies in incorporating whipped egg whites into your standard pancake recipe, along with ring molds and a dash of steam during cooking. Sounds simple, right? The experts at NYC’s Taiyaki show us how it’s done.

Experimenting with Flavors

Feel free to get creative with your dry mix! While we recommend a blend of all-purpose flour and almond flour, you can swap in cake flour or other types of flour to suit your taste. Just be sure to separate those eggs carefully – a single speck of yolk in your egg whites will prevent them from whipping up fluffy.

Special Equipment Needed

You’ll need four 3-inch-wide-by-2 1/2-inch-high ring molds to achieve the signature shape. Don’t have any? No problem! You can easily create DIY parchment or wax paper ring molds.

Ingredients and Instructions

Ingredients:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• ½ cup almond flour
• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs (separate yolks and refrigerate egg whites until ready to use)
• 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
• Nonstick cooking spray

Instructions:

1. Prep the Dry Mix: Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.
2. Combine the Wet Ingredients: Whisk together the milk, melted butter, vanilla, and egg yolks in a medium bowl until combined.
3. Beat Those Egg Whites: Beat the egg whites and cream of tartar in another large bowl with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form, about 2 minutes.
4. Combine the Mixtures: Stir the milk mixture into the flour mixture until just combined (it’s OK if there are a few lumps). Stir one-third of the beaten egg whites into the flour-milk mixture. Then gently fold in the remaining egg whites until just combined (be careful not to overmix).
5. Prepare the Ring Molds: Lightly spray the inside of ring molds with nonstick cooking spray (or make your own with parchment paper).
6. Cook the Pancakes: Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium-low heat. Put the prepared ring molds in the middle of the skillet and fill each with 1/2 cup of batter (it should fill each ring mold about halfway). Add ½ tablespoon of water on each side of the ring. Cover the skillet with the lid and cook until the batter rises to the tops of the ring molds and is golden on the bottom, about 5 minutes.
7. Flip and Serve: Release the bottom of the pancakes with a spatula. Grasp the sides of the ring molds with tongs to stabilize them and then carefully flip. Cover and cook until golden on the other side, about 5 minutes more. Transfer to a plate and remove the mold. Serve with butter and maple syrup – but be sure to enjoy before they deflate!