Secrets to Popular Japanese Dorayaki Pancake Perfection
Japanese dorayaki pancakes are my go-to when traveling in Japan. The golden almost-cake pancakes filled with red bean paste are perfect for breakfast on the go. Dorayaki are inexpensive, wrapped beautifully and easily slipped into a purse or backpack.
Usagiya in Tokyo is where you’ll find premium dorayaki. (Their doors have been open from 1940. You know they are doing something very right!) In Osaka, the Akanemaru dorayaki pancakes are the most famous.
Japanese Dorayaki are basically red bean paste pancake sandwiches. The Japanese pancake is slightly sweeter and lighter than your average American pancake. So how hard is it to make a pancake? It’s a breeze, right? Maybe. I’ve got a new respect for the art of Japanese dorayaki pancake making.
Half a dozen fails preceded a golden crop of Japanese dorayaki pancakes. So you can win from the start, here are a few tips for success: