I’m sure you seen these fluffy pancakes all over social media. These legendary Japanese souffle pancakes have captivated social media with their impressive height and impossibly fluffy texture, they are very different from the traditional American pancakes. They are less sweet, lighter in texture and extremely soft – almost like eating air. Unlike traditional pancakes, these delicate creations combine the technique of French soufflés with breakfast comfort food, resulting in a uniquely light and airy experience. They do require a bit of practice & patience to perfect so let me show you how.

Why This Recipe Works

The success of these pancakes lies in the careful balance of two distinct components – a rich egg yolk base and a perfectly whipped meringue. The low-and-slow cooking method, combined with strategic steaming, allows these delicate pancakes to rise beautifully while maintaining their structure.

Understanding Key Components

Unlike the American pancakes where you add the wet to the dry ingredients, these pancakes require you to fold the meringue into an eggy – floury mixture instead. The meringue is what going to give you the height and make your pancakes tall. It’s important to make your meringue and fold it in properly to prevent it from deflating.

1. The Egg Yolk Base:
   • Egg yolks provide richness and cannot be substituted with any other ingredients
   • Milk adds necessary moisture and tenderness. You can substitute this with plant-based milk.
   • Flour adds structure. Plain flour is ideal for this recipe
   • Baking powder provides additional lift. This is necessary and cannot be substituted.
   • Vanilla enhances overall flavor profile
2. Meringue:
   • Room temperature egg whites whip best
   • Gradual sugar addition stabilises structure. We’re looking for stiff peak so that when we incorporate it into the egg-yolk base, it doesn’t deflate and still retains its height.
   • Lemon juice helps to stabilise the achieve stiff peaks
   • Careful folding preserves air bubbles
3. Cooking method: These pancakes do take a long time to cook, mostly due to its height so temperature control is essential! Low heat prevents the pancake from burning and the water creates steam which helps to set the structure.

Tips!

• For the perfect meringue, use clean, grease-free equipment. Grease/oil can break down the meringue and prevents it from reaching stiff peaks.
• To check for stiff peaks, you can flip your bowl upside down and the meringue should not fall!
• When incorporating the meringue with the egg-yolk base, to prevent a lot of the air from deflating, i suggest you loosen the egg-yolk base mixture with a small amount of meringue first, then fold the rest of the meringue in. Use a spatula for this folding process and work gently.

Storage and Serving

• Serve immediately while warm
• Cannot make the pancakes ahead of time and it is not recommended for storage.
• Prepare toppings in advance and add garnishes just before serving

Success with these pancakes comes from patience and attention to detail. While they require more effort than traditional pancakes, the unique texture and impressive presentation make them worth mastering.

Ingredients

2 egg yolks

2 tbsp milk

vanilla extract

½ tsp baking powder

30g flour

2 egg whites

2 tbsp sugar

½ tsp lemon juice

Whipped cream & fresh fruits

Method

1. In a bowl, combine the yolks, milk, dash of vanilla extract, baking powder and flour together. Whisk until combined.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg whites, sugar and lemon juice until stiff peaks.
3. Scoop a third of the meringue mixture into the yolk-flour mixture and mix vigorously to loosen the thick paste. Then gently fold into the remaining meringue with a spatula until just combined.
4. Prepare a slightly oiled pan on low heat. With an ice cream scoop, place one scoop into the pan, followed by a small spoonful of water (to create steam) and close the lid – let batter cook for 2 minutes.
5. Uncover and place another scoop of batter on top of the first scoop. Add a small spoonful of water again (to create steam), close the lid and let steam for another 2 minutes. Uncover and flip. Add another small spoonful of water and let steam again for another 2 minutes. Repeat with your remaining batter. Serve with whipped cream and fresh fruits.