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Kaya Dorayaki

CakesAudrey Chong

Kaya Dorayaki

Japanese pancakes with a Singaporean twist

The traditional dorayaki is a sweet Japanese treat made of azuki red bean paste sandwiched between two slices of fluffy honey pancakes. So with my obsession of all things pandan (the quintessential Asian vanilla), I thought of giving this popular Japanese snack my Singaporean twist.

The pancakes are made with pandan and coconut milk while the filling –what else– pandan kaya! It is without a doubt, gobsmackingly delicious! It’s so hard to resist “taste-testing” them as soon as they come off the pan.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup all purpose flour 120g
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 2 eggs
  • 50g sugar
  • 2 tsp honey
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 1/4 cup coconut milk
  • 2 tbsp of homemade pandan extract (if store bought, then add 1/8 tsp)
  • Kaya (coconut jam)

Instructions

  1. In a medium bowl, combine flour and baking soda.
  2. In another mixing bowl, whisk eggs, sugar, pandan extract and honey mixture. Pour milk and coconut milk slowly into the egg mixture and continue whisking.
  3. Fold the dry ingredients into wet mixture and whisk to a smooth batter.
  4. Heat up a lightly oiled non-stick pan at medium-low heat. Ladle the batter (about 1/8 cup) onto the middle of the pan, creating a nice round shape.
  5. Cook like a pancake, around 2 minutes on one side and one minute on the other side.
  6. Transfer to a plate and cover with a wet paper towel.
  7. Continue cooking with the remaining batter.
  8. While each batter is cooking, take one cake and spread a layer of kaya and fold the circle into half, pressing the edges gently to form the final semicircle shape.

Alternatively you can, spread the kaya on one pancake and place another cake over like a sandwich. Or if you like a more buttery taste, you can spread butter on the pancake right after it comes off the pan and then spread the kaya. Bon appetit!