Dorayaki (Red Bean Paste Pancake)

Ingredients

• 4 large eggs
• 140 g (2/3 cup) sugar
• 2 Tbsp. honey
• 160 g (1⅓ cup*) all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 Tbsp. water
• 1 tsp. vegetable oil
• 520 g (18 oz.) homemade sweet red bean paste or 1 can Ogura-An
  

Direction 

1. In a large bowl, combine eggs, sugar, and honey and whisk well until the mixture becomes fluffy.
   
2. Sift flour and baking powder into the bowl and mix all together. Keep in the fridge to rest for 15 minutes.
   
3. The batter should be slightly smoother now. Stir in 1 Tbsp. of water. Depends on the size of eggs and how accurate your flour measurement is, the water amount may vary but it should be 1-2 Tbsp.
   
4. Heat a large non-stick frying pan over medium-low heat (close to low). Dip a paper towel in oil and coat the bottom of the pan with the oil. Then remove the oil completely (that's the key for evenly golden brown dorayaki surface). With a ladle or a small measuring cup (I use a 4 Tbsp. measuring cup), pour 3 Tbsp. of the batter from 3" (8 cm) above the pan to create 3" (8 cm) diameter pancakes.
   
5. When you see the surface of the batter starting to bubble, flip over and cook the other side. With my stovetop and frying pan, it takes 1 minute and 15-30 seconds to cook one side and 20-30 seconds on the other side). Transfer to a plate and cover up with a damp towel to prevent from drying. You do not need to oil the pan again. Continue making pancakes (you can make about 12 pancakes).
   
6. Make sandwich with red bean paste. Put more red bean paste in the center so the shape of dorayaki will be curved (middle part should be thicker). Wrap dorayaki with plastic wrap until ready to serve.
   

Notes

*1 cup of flour is 120-125 g. However, if you don't fluff the flour before you scoop and scoop up with a measuring cup, you most likely end up with 150-160 g for 1 cup. Therefore, if you don't have a kitchen scale, it's very important to fluff the flour, then scoop with spoon into a measuring up, then level off with a knife. If you do it correctly, 160 g should be 1⅓ cup. I HIGHLY recommend to use a kitchen scale.

If you don't eat it on the same or next day (keep it in a cool place), wrap the dorayaki in plastic wrap and put in a Ziploc bag to store in the freezer for up to a month.