Soufflé Pancakes Recipe: Tips for Making Soufflé Pancakes
Written by MasterClass
Last updated: May 16, 2023 • 3 min read
These light, fluffy Japanese soufflé pancakes, recognizable by their thick shape and jiggly consistency, are a surefire way to blow your brunch guests away.
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What Are Soufflé Pancakes?
Soufflé pancakes are thick, jiggly pancakes from Japan. They feature a light, egg white-based batter that yields a cloud-like texture. Unlike American-style pancakes, soufflé pancakes get cooked over low heat to preserve the airiness of the meringue. The result is a custardy, tall pancake that photographs—and eats—beautifully.
What Do Soufflé Pancakes Taste Like?
While Japanese soufflé pancakes have a similar flavor profile to a standard flapjack, what sets these playful pancakes apart is their airy batter, which has a light, vanilla-laced sweetness.
4 Tips for Making Soufflé Pancakes
Mastering these ultra-fluffy soufflé pancakes takes a bit of time and patience. Use these tips to make the best soufflé pancakes at home:
- 1. Avoid overmixing (or undermixing). Lofty soufflé pancakes rely on perfectly whipped egg whites. For the fluffiest pancakes, mix the meringue just to the point of a stiff peak. Overwhipping the egg whites will cause the pancake to fall during the cooking process. On the other hand, if you whip the egg whites to the soft peak stage, they won’t add enough height to the pancake.
- 2. Be gentle when flipping. When flipping your pancakes, work slowly and gently to ensure that the air bubbles within the pancakes don’t fall flat.
- 3. Keep the temperature low. While it may be tempting to speed up the cooking process by cranking up the heat, a low-and-slow cooking method will produce pancakes that are light, fluffy, and golden brown on the outside. A higher temperature will quickly cook the outside while leaving the center raw.
- 4. Experiment with toppings. Serve these buoyant flapjacks with butter and maple syrup; go decadent with whipped cream and chocolate ganache; or take the fruit route with jam, fresh berries, or warm baked apples.
Fluffy Soufflé Pancake Recipe
makes
6 pancakesprep time
20 mintotal time
40 mincook time
20 minIngredients
Note: The total time does not include 15 minutes of inactive time.
- 1
In a large bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, milk, and vanilla. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and place it in the refrigerator to chill for 15 minutes.
- 2
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites on medium speed, gradually adding in the cream of tartar and sugar.
- 3
Beat the egg-white mixture until it is smooth and glossy and forms stiff peaks, about 8 minutes.
- 4
Meanwhile, in a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt until combined.
- 5
Remove the egg-yolk mixture from the fridge and sift in the dry ingredients, stirring until the batter just comes together. Place the bowl back into the fridge until the egg whites are ready.
- 6
Using a rubber spatula, gently fold half of the egg-white mixture into the egg-yolk-and-flour mixture until just combined. Repeat with the remainder of the egg-white meringue.
- 7
Warm a large nonstick skillet or griddle over very low heat and lightly grease the pan with butter.
- 8
Using a measuring cup, gently drop ⅓ cup batter into the pan. For a more controlled pancake shape, cook your pancakes in lightly greased ring molds, or spoon the batter into a piping bag or plastic bag to disperse it.
- 9
Cook 2–3 pancakes at a time, depending on the size of your pan. Keep the extra pancake batter in the refrigerator in between batches.
- 10
Pour a scant tablespoon of water into the pan, around the pancakes, and place a lid over the pan.
- 11
Cook the pancakes until they start to rise and small bubbles form on their surfaces, about 4–5 minutes.
- 12
Using a flat spatula, carefully flip each pancake and add another tablespoon of water to the pan. Cover the pan and cook until the pancakes are golden brown and set, about 5 minutes.
- 13
Transfer the pancakes to a plate and serve them immediately, topped with butter, powdered sugar, and maple syrup.
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