Description
Light, airy, and impossibly fluffy Japanese soufflé pancakes made with whipped egg whites for sky-high stacks that wobble on the plate. Perfect for special weekend breakfasts!
Ingredients
For the Yolk Batter:
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 2 tablespoons milk (whole milk works best for richness)
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
For the Meringue:
- 2 large egg whites (room temperature is key!)
- 1½ tablespoons sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon cream of tartar (optional, but it helps stabilize the whites)
For Cooking:
- Neutral oil or butter for greasing the pan (I prefer a light coating of butter for flavor)
Instructions
In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolk and 1 tablespoon of sugar until the mixture turns pale yellow and slightly thick—this takes about a minute. Pour in the milk and whisk until smooth.
Add the flour and baking powder, then whisk gently until you have a smooth, lump-free batter. It’ll be thick, almost like cake batter. Set this aside while you work your meringue magic.
In a completely clean, dry bowl, beat the egg whites with the cream of tartar (if using) on medium speed until they start looking foamy and white.
Now gradually add the 1½ tablespoons of sugar, about a teaspoon at a time, while continuing to beat. Increase the speed to medium-high and keep beating until you have stiff, glossy peaks—when you lift the beaters, the peaks should stand straight up without drooping. This is your pancake’s foundation, so don’t rush it!
Here’s where patience pays off. Scoop about one-third of those beautiful egg whites into your yolk batter and fold gently with a rubber spatula—this lightens the base so the rest of the whites incorporate more easily.
Now add the remaining egg whites and fold very carefully, using a swooping motion from the bottom of the bowl up and over. You want to keep as much air in there as possible. A few white streaks are okay—better that than deflated batter!
Place your non-stick skillet over the lowest heat setting your stove has—seriously, lower than you think. Let it warm up for about 2 minutes, then lightly grease it with a bit of butter or oil. You want just a whisper of fat, not a pool.
Scoop generous mounds of batter into the pan—think tall and proud, not flat and wide. You’ll probably fit 2-3 pancakes depending on your pan size.
Cover with the lid and let them cook for 4–5 minutes. About halfway through, you can add a tablespoon of water around the edges of the pan (not on the pancakes!) and quickly cover again—this creates steam that helps cook the fluffy centers.
This is the moment of truth! Slide your spatula under each pancake very carefully—they’re delicate and jiggly, so be gentle.
Flip them over (take a deep breath, you’ve got this!), cover the pan again, and cook for another 4–6 minutes until they’re cooked through and lightly golden. You can gently press the top—if it springs back, they’re done.
Slide these beauties onto plates right away and watch them wobble! They’re at their peak fluffiness fresh off the stove.
Notes
- Use a ring mold or cookie cutter if you want perfectly round, uniform pancakes—just grease the inside and spoon batter into it while it sits in the pan.
- Check your baking powder’s freshness—if it’s old, your pancakes won’t have that extra lift they need.
- Don’t overmix when folding—a few white streaks are better than deflated batter. Stop as soon as things look mostly combined.
- Steam is your friend—adding that splash of water to the pan creates a humid environment that cooks the center without drying out the edges.
- Make one test pancake first to get your heat right—every stove is different, and it’s better to learn on one pancake than a whole batch.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Japanese