Adam Liaw's Japanese soufflé pancakes

Japanese soufflé pancakes are known for their light, and fluffy texture, thanks to the volume incorporated to the batter from a pillowy-soft beaten meringue. Almost resembling a French soufflé in texture, this dessert has become trendy on social media, resulting in a slew of cafes and dessert shops across the globe increasingly selling Japanese soufflé pancakes to hungry customers.

Credit: Jiwon Kim

• makes

  12

• prep

  15 minutes

• cook

  20 minutes

• difficulty

  Mid

Ingredients

• 4 eggs, separated
• 50 g icing sugar, plus extra for dusting
• ¼ tsp cream of tartar
• ¼ cup (60 ml) milk
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• 1 drop yellow food colouring
• 60 g plain flour
• ½ tsp baking powder
• Salt
• Maple syrup, butter, fresh berries, to serve

For the whipped cream

• 300 ml thickened cream
• 50 g icing sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

1. To make the whipped cream, combine the ingredients in a large bowl and use a hand mixer or whisk to whip until the mixture forms soft peaks. Cover and refrigerate until required.
   
2. Heat a large, non-stick frying pan (with a lid) over low heat. Meanwhile, combine the egg whites, icing sugar and cream of tartar in the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment fixed. Beat on high speed until it forms a stiff, glossy meringue.
   
3. While the egg whites are whisking, in a large bowl, combine the egg yolks, milk, vanilla and yellow food colouring and whisk well to combine. Sift over the flour, baking powder and a generous pinch of salt. Mix well to combine, then gently fold in the meringue, 1/3 at a time. Transfer the pancake mixture to a piping bag fitted with a 1 cm round nozzle.
   
4. Pipe the pancake batter into the frying pan in tall towers. Add 1 tsp water to the pan to create steam, then cover and cook for 1 minute. Pipe more mixture on top of the existing pancake to create a taller pancake, then cook for 3 minutes. Flip and cook for a further 4 minutes.
   
5. Serve the Japanese soufflé pancakes with whipped cream, maple syrup and butter. Dust with icing sugar and serve with the fresh berries, if you like.

Photography by Jiwon Kim.

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Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.