Ever since the first time I laid eyes on those giggly giant fluffy Japanese pancakes, I’ve been obsessed! If you head over to my Youtube, you’ll find my past attempts at this delicious breakfast dish, using a birthday cake flavor. 

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.

There are two key things you need to concentrate on if you want to make tall, fluffy pancakes at home. One is the meringue – be sure that it’s well developed but not over beaten. The second is how you cook them. For these pancakes to stay tall once you serve them, we first have to create the perfect meringue which gives the batter its structure. The second trick is slow and controlled, even heat. Alas Fluffy pancake success! 

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! Serve them up with a dusting of icing sugar, whipped butter and maple syrup. You’ll be in pancake heaven 🤤

Pancake molds

Ingredients – Makes 2 serves

For the yolks

  • 18g (1 egg yolk) 
  • 12g sugar 
  • 30ml Low Fat 2% milk 
  • 30g  flour 
  • 1g baking powder 
  • Pink Food Dye (optional)

For the whites

  • 60g (2 large) egg whites 
  • 0.4g cream of tartar *
  • 18g sugar 

*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.

Toppings 

  • SF Pancake Syrup 
  • Fresh Berries
  • SF Redi Whip
  • Reduced Fat Ice Cream

Macros – Per serve

160 Kcals

6.7g Pro

27.8g Carb

2.4g Fat

*Does not include Toppings

Instructions

Step 1
Whisk the egg yolk with 1 tablespoon of sugar until pale and frothy. Mix in the milk in batches and a dash of pink food dye (optional – Valentines Day Special) . Sift the flour and baking powder over the yolk mixture and whisk well making sure everything is incorporated.

Step 2
Whip the egg whites with the cream of tartar until frothy and pale, adding in the sugar, a small amount at a time, until the whites are whipped into a glossy thick meringue that holds a peak. Be careful not to over whip.

Step 3
Take 1/3 of the whipped egg whites and whisk it into the bowl with the yolks until completely incorporated. Add half of the remaining whites and whisk into the yolk batter, being careful not to deflate. Transfer the egg yolk mixture to the final remaining egg whites, whisk and then use a spatula to fold together.

Step 4

Heat up a large non-stick frying pan (with a lid) over low heat. Very lightly brush or spray with oil and use a paper towel to rub it around. You want a very light film. Next, gently spoon the batter into your pancake mold. Unless you have a very large pan with a lid, it’s probably best to make these two or even one to a pan. Scoop the batter onto the pan, cover and cook for 4-5 minutes. If you have a crepe maker or griddle with a lid that will cover the entire thing without touching the pancakes, use that on the lowest setting.

Step 5

Remove the lid and add some more batter on top of each pancake. Cover and continue to cook for 4-5 more minutes. Lift the lid and use a spatula to gently peek under the pancake. The pancake should release easily – don’t force it.
Step 6
If you still have any batter left, pile it on top of the pancakes and then gently flip. Cover and cook for 5-6 minutes. The pancakes will grow even taller and fluffier when they’re done.

Step 7

Once the pancakes are golden and cooked through, gently remove and serve on a plate with powdered sugar, butter, whipped cream, and maple syrup. Enjoy immediately!

***If you don’t have japanese pancake molds you can also make this recipe without the mold, they will more closely resemble regular pancakes! 

Image Credit: http://tinyurl.com/28k5dj5w