Description
These Fluffy Japanese Soufflé Pancakes are delightfully light and airy, resembling soft cotton clouds. They achieve a delicate, melt-in-your-mouth texture that’s enhanced when served with homemade whipped cream and fresh berries. This recipe guides you step-by-step to create the perfect soufflé pancakes that are pillowy soft and beautifully tall, ideal for a special breakfast or brunch treat.
Ingredients
Soufflé Pancakes
- 2 large eggs (50 g each, without shell)
- 1½ Tbsp whole milk
- ¼ tsp pure vanilla extract
- ¼ cup cake flour
- ½ tsp baking powder
- 2 Tbsp sugar
- 1 Tbsp neutral oil (for greasing the pan)
- 2 Tbsp water (for steaming)
Fresh Whipped Cream (optional)
- ½ cup heavy (whipping) cream
- 1½ Tbsp sugar
Toppings
- 1 Tbsp confectioners’ sugar
- Fresh berries (strawberries, blueberries, etc.)
- Maple syrup
Instructions
- Gather and Prepare Ingredients: Assemble all ingredients and use metric measurements with a kitchen scale for precise results. Prepare a 12-inch nonstick frying pan with a lid, suitable for cooking three pancakes simultaneously. Optionally, have an infrared thermometer to monitor pan temperature.
- Make Whipped Cream (Optional): Prepare an ice bath by placing ice and water in a large bowl; set a medium bowl on top. Add heavy cream and sugar into the medium bowl. Whisk at high speed until medium to firm peaks form, then keep chilled until serving.
- Separate Eggs and Chill Whites: Separate eggs into whites and yolks, putting the egg whites bowl in the freezer for 15 minutes to partially freeze them, which helps achieve stiff peaks.
- Mix Yolk Mixture: To the yolks, add whole milk and vanilla extract and whisk until thick and frothy. Sift cake flour and baking powder into the mixture, then whisk until well combined without overmixing. Set aside.
- Beat Meringue: Remove egg whites from freezer when half frozen. Beat whites until frothy, gradually add sugar in thirds, then increase speed to high and beat for about 2 minutes until stiff, glossy peaks form. Avoid overbeating to prevent graininess.
- Prepare Pan: Heat nonstick pan to 300ºF (150ºC) on the lowest setting. Brush with neutral oil and wipe off excess oil carefully to avoid uneven pancake surface. Keep the pan on low heat throughout cooking.
- Fold Meringue into Batter: Fold one-third of meringue into yolk mixture by whisking gently. Then fold in half of the remaining meringue carefully using a whisk to preserve air bubbles. Finally, fold the last meringue portion in very gently until batter is smooth and homogeneous.
- Cook Pancakes – First Side: Use a small ladle to scoop batter into three tall mounds in the pan, each pancake receiving approximately two scoops initially. After the first round, add an additional scoop on top of each pancake to make them tall. Add 1 Tbsp water to the pan in empty spaces and cover with the lid. Steam cook for 6–7 minutes on low heat. After 2 minutes, open lid to add a final scoop on each pancake if desired, adding water if it evaporates.
- Flip Pancakes: Carefully loosen and flip each pancake with an offset spatula using a gentle rolling motion to prevent cracking. Add 1 Tbsp water again inside the pan and cover.
- Cook Pancakes – Second Side: Steam cook the pancakes on the other side for 4–5 minutes on the lowest heat until golden brown and cooked through.
- Serve: Transfer pancakes to serving plates. Top with whipped cream, fresh berries, dust with confectioners’ sugar, and drizzle with maple syrup. Enjoy immediately for the best texture.
- Store Leftovers: Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days, but pancakes are best served fresh for optimal fluffiness.
Notes
- Beat egg whites properly; under or overbeating will cause pancakes to collapse.
- Cook on low heat and ensure pancakes are fully cooked inside to maintain structure.
- Make the batter and cook only one batch at a time to prevent deflation.
- Use neutral oil and wipe excess to avoid uneven spots on pancakes.
- Partially freezing egg whites improves meringue stiffness for better volume.
- Use a lid to steam pancakes, which keeps them moist and fluffy.
- Gentle folding techniques preserve air bubbles critical for the soufflé’s texture.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Japanese
