Dorayaki with Chocolate Hazelnut Spread

Dorayaki are the japanese pancakes, light and pillowy soft. Filled with a chocolate hazelnut spread they are becoming my new favorite breakfast.

Weeks ago I made the traditional japanese Dorayaki with the anko filling. I froze them singularly in plastic wrap and enjoyed them greatly in my breakfast. The anko paste, though, made with red beans and sugar, is a little too sweet for my taste, you all know my passion for anything chocolate, so the adjustment to a chocolate hazelnut spread was inevitable. If you have Nutella, feel free to use that, I bought the organic, less refined “sister”, made with real hazelnuts and cocoa, which is less sweet and oily than the original (that I still consume once in a while).

It is easy to make Dorayaki. To fill them with a Chocolate Hazelnut spread, even easier.

Dorayaki are quick and easy to make, with few basic ingredients like eggs, flour and sugar (plus honey, water, and a little leavening agent like baking soda). The texture of the batter is a bit thicker than what one would expect of regular pancakes. It is not as runny, resulting in the thickness we see in dorayakis while regular pancakes tend to flatten out more.
In this recipe I changed the sugar, switching from the white, refined, granulated sugar, to a more natural, raw, cane sugar. Of course the texture and color turned to a warmer, brown-ish hue, and a denser consistency. I couldn’t wait to spread some chocolate hazelnut on one, sandwich it with another pancake and give a big bite. Not before dusting some icing sugar on top.

The cake-like texture of the dorayaki is soft, fluffy and moist, the flavor is great. The lightness of the pancakes compliments the richness and creaminess of the chocolate hazelnut spread, making this confetionary a pleasant revelation. My parents were the taste tester and I got their seal of approval. Especially my mom’s who has a sweet tooth like her daughter 🙂 .

Anyway, Japan is on Loreto’s and mine bucket list. One day, hopefully soon, we’ll go and try the best authentic Dorayaki in one of Tokyo’s long-established dorayaki stores.

Song of the day: “Sweet Dreams” by Eurythmics.

Dorayaki with Chocolate Hazelnut Spread

• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Cook Time: 10 minutes
• Total Time: 15 minutes
• Yield: 8 small pancakes 1x

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Ingredients

• 100 g all-purpose flour
• 2 eggs
• 50 g sugar (I used dark brown sugar and they were still very fluffy)
• 1 tsp honey
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 2 Tbsp water
• Peanut oil for the pan
• Chocolate spread (or Nutella) as it takes
• Icing sugar (optional)

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Instructions

1. In a medium bowl, using an electric mixer, whisk together flour, eggs, sugar, honey, baking powder and water until smooth.
2. Dip a paper towel in oil and coat the bottom of a frying pan with the oil. Then remove the oil completely
3. Drop small ladlesful of batter to make medium sized dorayaki. Cook for about 30 seconds on one side, then turn them over and cook briefly on the other side until golden brown.
4. Spread about 1 tablespoons of chocolate spread (or Nutella) on one pancake, then cover it with another to make a sandwich.
5. Dust with icing sugar (optional) and serve warm.

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Notes

For perfect golden brown pancakes, make sure to wipe off all excess oil on the frying pan’s surface. Wrap leftover dorayaki individually in plastic wrap to keep them moist.

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Nutrition

• Serving Size: 4 dorayaki servings

Ricetta in Italiano:

Dorayaki con crema di cacao e nocciole

• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 6 minutes
• Total Time: 16 minutes
• Yield: 6-8 dorayaki medi (3-4 imbottiti) 1x

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Ingredients

• 100 g farina 00
• 2 uova
• 50 g zucchero semolato (io ho usato zucchero grezzo di canna)
• 1 cucchiaino di miele
• 1 cucchiaino di lievito
• 2 cucchiai di acqua
• olio d’arachide per la padella
• crema di cacao e nocciole (o Nutella), per il ripieno, q.b.

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Instructions

1. Pesate tutti gli ingredienti, poi metteteli in una grande ciotola, sbattete con le fruste elettriche per un minuto o a mano fino ad ottenere una pastella omogenea.
2. Riscaldate una padella con un goccio di olio di arachide, a fiamma bassa, e con l’aiuto di un mestolo, versate un po’ di impasto nella padella in modo tale che si allarghino in maniera uniforme creando un cerchio.
3. Cuoceteli 1 minuto circa su un lato e poi sull’altro.
4. Metteteli in un piatto, farcite un dorayaki con la crema di cacao e nocciole (o Nutella) e ricoprite con l’altro.
5. Spolverizzate di zucchero a velo e serviteli caldi.
6. Per conservarli, avvolgeteli nella pellicola, rimarranno soffici.

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