Japanese cuisine · Desserts & Sweets

Taiyaki

Fish-shaped waffles of thin batter, baked golden brown in an iron and filled with sweet azuki paste.

Ingredients · for 6 servings

• 200 g flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 40 g sugar
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 egg
• 250 ml milk
• 1 tbsp honey
• 300 g sweet red bean paste (anko)
• 2 tbsp oil

Instructions

1. Mix the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt, whisk the egg, milk, and honey together, and combine both into a thin batter that runs off the spoon like cream.
2. Let the batter rest for 20 minutes and meanwhile shape the bean paste into six flat portions of 50 g each.
3. Heat the taiyaki iron (or a nonstick pan for flat cakes as a substitute) over medium heat and brush both sides with oil.
4. Fill each mold two-thirds full with batter, place a portion of bean paste in the center, and cover with a little more batter until the filling disappears.
5. Close the iron, trim off any batter that squeezes out after flipping, and bake each side for 3–4 minutes until the waffle is evenly golden brown and crisp.
6. Let the taiyaki cool briefly on a rack and serve still warm — crisp outside, soft inside.