Fluffy Japanese Souffle Pancakes
Japanese souffle pancakes get their height and cloud-like texture from a stiff egg white meringue folded into a simple batter. Cooking them gently with a lid lets them rise and set without burning. Serve them for a special weekend breakfast with butter, syrup and fresh fruit.
Preparation Steps
Whisk the egg yolks with the milk and vanilla until smooth. Sift in the flour and baking powder and whisk just until no dry streaks remain; the batter will be thick.
In a very clean bowl, beat the egg whites with the cream of tartar until foamy. Gradually add the sugar while beating, and keep going until the meringue is glossy and holds stiff peaks.
Stir one third of the meringue into the yolk batter to loosen it, then gently fold in the rest in two additions with a spatula, stopping as soon as no white streaks remain.
Heat a large nonstick pan over the lowest heat and wipe it with a thin film of oil. Spoon tall mounds of batter, about 3 heaped tablespoons each, into the pan, leaving space between them.
Add 1 tablespoon of water to an empty spot in the pan, cover with a lid and cook for 6 to 7 minutes, until the bottoms are golden and the tops look set at the edges.
Carefully flip each pancake with a thin spatula, add another splash of water, cover and cook for 5 to 6 minutes more, until springy and cooked through.
Serve straight away, topped with butter, syrup, powdered sugar or berries.
Tips & Variations
- Keep the heat very low and don't skip the lid; the steam is what lets the pancakes rise tall and cook through without burning.
- Use metal ring molds lined with parchment for perfectly round, extra-tall pancakes.
- These pancakes deflate as they cool, so they are best eaten immediately. Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 2 days and reheated in a covered pan until warm.
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