Description
These Japanese soufflé pancakes are incredibly fluffy, jiggly, and pillowy soft, perfect for breakfast, snack, or dessert. Using a souffle technique with whipped egg whites, these pancakes rise tall and have a light, cotton-like texture. Serve them with whipped cream, fresh berries, powdered sugar, and maple syrup for a delightful treat that impresses at any brunch gathering.
Ingredients
Scale
For the pancake batter:
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons milk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest (optional)
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour (fluffed, spooned, and leveled)
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon white vinegar (or lemon juice)
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- Oil, any neutral oil (for cooking)
Optional toppings:
- Sweetened whipped cream
- Assorted berries
- Powdered sugar
- Maple syrup
Sweetened whipped cream (optional):
- ½ cup heavy cream, cold
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar (more or less to your preference)
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Separate and prepare egg yolk batter: Separate the egg whites and yolks carefully into different bowls. To the yolks, add milk, vanilla extract, and lemon zest; whisk briefly until combined. Sift in the flour and baking powder, then whisk until smooth with no visible dry flour. Set aside.
- Make stiff peak meringue: Add vinegar or lemon juice to the egg whites. Using a hand mixer, beat on medium speed until frothy. Gradually add sugar while mixing, then increase to medium-high speed and beat until stiff peaks form.
- Fold meringue into yolk batter: Add one-third of the meringue to the yolk mixture and fold gently with a rubber spatula until evenly combined without streaks. Then fold in the remaining meringue carefully until combined; avoid overmixing to prevent deflating the batter.
- Prepare for cooking: Use a large spoon, cookie scoop, or piping bag fitted with a large round tip to portion the batter.
- Cook the pancakes: Heat a large nonstick pan over low heat and lightly grease with oil, wiping away excess. Portion 2 to 3 pancakes into the pan, keeping the batter tall for height. Cover with a lid or heatproof bowl and cook for 7–8 minutes until bottoms are golden brown.
- Flip and finish cooking: Carefully flip the pancakes and recover the lid. Cook for another 5–6 minutes until golden and cooked through.
- Serve immediately: Serve pancakes hot with sweetened whipped cream, assorted fruits, powdered sugar, and/or maple syrup.
- Optional whipped cream: Whisk cold heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla until firm peaks form. Keep refrigerated until serving.
Notes
- Refer to the blog for detailed photos, tips, FAQs, and troubleshooting.
- Using a piping bag with a large round tip (Wilton 2A) is recommended for shaping tall pancakes.
- These pancakes will gently deflate after cooking but remain fluffy.
- Do not overmix the meringue or batter to keep fluffiness.
- Cook on low heat (285°F to 320°F) on an electric stovetop for best results.
- Be gentle when flipping to avoid tearing the delicate pancakes.
- Use a good nonstick pan with tall sides and a lid for optimal cooking.
- Prep Time: 7 minutes
- Cook Time: 13 minutes
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Japanese
Keywords: jiggly pancakes, soufflé pancakes, Japanese pancakes, fluffy pancakes, breakfast, brunch
