Dorayaki

The Story

Dora is the Japanese word for gong, and one look at these round, burnished pancakes tells you why. They are a favorite snack all over Japan, sold in old sweet shops and corner convenience stores alike.

The filling is anko, a sweet paste made from red azuki beans. It tastes a little like chestnut and a little like brown sugar. You can buy it ready-made at most Asian grocery stores, which leaves you free to focus on flipping.

Steps

1. Whisk the eggs, sugar and honey in a bowl for about 2 minutes, until pale and frothy.
2. Sift the flour and baking powder over the eggs and whisk just until smooth. Cover and let the batter rest for 15 minutes.
3. Whisk in the water a little at a time. The batter should fall from the whisk in a thick ribbon, a little looser than pancake batter.
4. Heat a nonstick pan over medium-low heat. Wipe it with a paper towel dipped in oil, so only a thin film is left.
5. Pour about 3 tablespoons of batter into the pan from a little height, so it spreads into a circle about 3 1/2 inches (9 cm) across. Cook until bubbles show on top, about 2 minutes, then flip and cook 30 seconds more.
6. Move each pancake to a plate and cover with a damp towel so they stay soft. Keep going until you have 10, wiping the pan with oil now and then.
7. Spread a heaping 1/4 cup of bean paste on the pale side of one pancake, mounding it in the middle. Top with a second pancake and press the edges together gently.
8. Wrap each one in plastic wrap and rest for 10 minutes, so the pancakes and filling settle into each other.