Fluffy Japanese Soufflé Pancakes

Fluffy Japanese soufflé pancakes are so light, and of course, fluffy. They are the perfect, elevated brunch dish. I love to serve them with some fresh raspberries and raspberry sauce to get that burst of freshness. 

 

 

I make my fluffy soufflé pancakes without a mold, so anyone can make them! They may not have those neat lines as those made with molds, but don't tell me they don't look tasty?!

 

Japanese pancakes are very different from American-style pancakes, and especially from French crêpes which we call pancakes here in Scandinavia. However, they are all perfect brunch dishes, right? It all depends on what you crave!

 

Why you'll love this recipe

 

You will love these fluffy soufflé pancakes if you love a light texture. American-style pancakes can be a little heavier, but these feel so delicate and lightly sweetened.

 

Because these pancakes aren't so sweet on their own, they are so good with a sweet and tart raspberry sauce. It can be made when you make the pancakes, so it's easy peasy!

 

If you want something a little different for your brunch, I definitely recommend these. That tall stack of pancakes will definitely impress anyone.  

 

Ingredients

 

• Egg whites and sugar: whipped to stiff peaks. This is the secret behind the fluff factor!
• Egg yolks, milk, and vanilla extract: to provide richness and moisture to the pancakes.
• Homemade cake flour: all-purpose flour and cornstarch together and voilá! there you have homemade cake flour. However, if you have cake flour, just use that. 
• Baking powder: To fluff them up even more. 
• Raspberries: A little burst of fresh and tart raspberries is so good. You can omit them from the pancakes if you want, and just serve them with the raspberry sauce.

 

 

Step-by-step instructions

Make the batter

Heat a pan over low heat (I used level 5 out of 14 on my induction oven), and let this get warm while you make the batter. 

 

Separate eggs. Whip egg whites with sugar until glossy and stiff peaks, about 5 minutes with a handheld mixer (1-2). Add sugar just 1 teaspoon at a time. Slowly increase speed to max.

 

 

In a large bowl, whip egg yolks, milk, and vanilla extract into a frothy consistency (3).

 

Because we want a light texture, we use cake flour. However, you can easily make it yourself with just all-purpose flour and cornstarch. Sift flour and cornstarch together. Then stir in the baking powder (4). Sift this into the egg yolk mixture, and fold together (5-6).

 

Add ⅓ of the whipped egg whites into the egg yolks, and mix to combine (7-8). Then add the rest and carefully fold in, avoiding ruining the air (9). Finally, fold in the raspberries (10).

 

 

Cook them

Add 1 teaspoon neutral oil to the pan and wipe off any excess with a paper towel.

 

To each pancake, add four tablespoons of batter (on top of each other), then add a tiny splash of water (1 teaspoon) to the pan before covering with a lid. Cook for 2 minutes, before adding another tablespoon of batter on top (12). Cook for about 4-6 minutes or until the pancake has self-released from the pan.

 

Then carefully flip it, and cook another 4-6 minutes, still covered. I add more water when I flip it.

 

I think it is easier to make just two pancakes at a time, but this will depend on the size of your pan and oven top.

 

The raspberry sauce

While the pancakes are cooking, make the raspberry sauce. Combine all ingredients together in a small saucepan and bring it to a simmer, simmer for 15 minutes or until thickened. Will thicken more once it cools, add more water if you find it necessary.

 

 

Serve pancakes with raspberry sauce and fresh raspberries, and even whipped cream if you will!

 

Storage

 

These pancakes are best eaten immediately. As they have a soufflé texture, they will sink a bit after a while (they were even more fluffy than these shots, but I just wasn't quick enough!). 

 

They are still good the next day, but they will be drier and less fluffy. Place them in a plastic bag to keep them moist-ish, but they will still lose the fluffiness.

 

The raspberry sauce becomes extra handy for leftover pancakes, to keep them saucy and moist. The raspberry sauce, though, will last a week in the refrigerator if tightly covered.

 

 

Recipe FAQs

What's the difference between American and Japanese pancakes?

Japanese pancakes are much lighter in texture, fluffier, and get their rise from whipped egg whites. Egg whites are whipped with sugar to create a stiff-peak meringue. This is not done for American pancakes, they get their rise mostly from baking powder.

 

What do Japanese pancakes taste like?

They are lightly sweetened, a little eggy like soufflé, but also like a fluffy vanilla cupcake. It's a very intriguing and mild flavor that works well with all sorts of toppings like raspberry sauce, blueberry sauce, or just honey.

 

 

Why did my Japanese soufflé pancakes deflate?

Japanese soufflé pancakes will deflate over time. However, they should reasonably hold their shape for about 30 minutes.

 

If they deflate right away, you have most likely over-beaten your meringue. You should stop whipping the egg whites when they are glossy and when you turn the beater upside-down, the meringue will keep its shape. It takes about 5 minutes with a handheld mixer. 

 

Another possibility is that you added the sugar too fast to the egg whites. I only add a teaspoon at a time, so that the sugar gets a chance to get properly incorporated into the egg whites. If they are added too fast, the meringue can turn out too soft and unstable. 

 

 

Can they be re-heated?

They are of course best served immediately, but if you want to re-heat them, you can. Preheat the oven to 200℉ (100℃) and place the pancakes on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Re-heat for about 5 minutes or until warmed through.

 

Enjoy!

 

 

Did you like this recipe? Here are more raspberry recipes I think you’d love:

 

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