Japanese Dorayaki Pancake Sandwich and Wagashi Everyday Tradition

Ingredients

• For the pancake batter
• 3 eggs
• 90 g caster sugar
• 30 g honey
• 130 g plain flour, sifted
• ½ tsp baking soda, not baking powder
• 30 ml water
• For the anko filling
• 480 g azuki bean paste (anko), tsubuan (chunky) for traditional; koshian (smooth) for premium — cooked 5 additional minutes beyond standard to reduce moisture

Method

1. 1
   Whisk eggs, caster sugar, and honey together in a bowl until the sugar is fully dissolved and the mixture is pale and slightly thickened. Dissolve the baking soda in the water, then stir into the egg mixture. Sift in the flour and fold until a smooth, lump-free batter forms. Rest the batter for 15 minutes, uncovered, at room temperature; the baking soda begins to activate and the gluten relaxes. The batter is ready when it falls from the spoon in a slow, continuous ribbon.
2. 2
   Heat a flat griddle to exactly 160 °C. Confirm the temperature by flicking a few drops of water onto the surface: they should bead and roll immediately, neither evaporating on contact nor sitting inert. This is the step on which the dish lives or dies — too hot, the pancake surface chars before the interior sets; too cool, the batter spreads beyond its own surface tension and the dome is lost.
3. 3
   Lightly grease the griddle with a neutral oil, then wipe it almost dry with a cloth. Pour a single measure of batter (approximately 30–35 g) from a low height onto the griddle in one motion, without spreading it with a spoon or spatula. The batter must be left entirely to its own surface tension. The pancake is ready to turn when bubbles appear and begin to open across the entire surface and the edges look set and matte — not wet.
4. 4
   Flip the pancake once and cook briefly on the second side. The finished pancake presents a smooth, honey-amber dome on top and a honeycomb-textured flat base from griddle contact. Transfer to a wire rack, dome-side up, and cool completely before filling. Repeat to produce 16 pancakes in total.
5. 5
   Pair the pancakes by size and shape. Place one pancake flat-side up. Portion approximately 30 g of anko at the centre — do not exceed this weight; excess filling causes the sandwich to separate when lifted. Press the second pancake flat-side down onto the filling, applying gentle, even pressure until the anko reaches just inside the edge. The finished sandwich should hold its form when picked up with two fingers and the filling should not breach the perimeter.