JAPANESE SOUFFLE PANCAKES

Summer's almost here!

I can feel the anticipation in the air!

I've been madly testing Japanese Cheesecake recipes the last few weeks and tweaking my recipe for both Matcha and Londog Fog flavoured Japanese cheesecake.  During all this time I haven't actually tasted the Uncle Tetsu cheesecakes that have been selling like crazy (limit of one per customer!) because of the crazy 2 hour lineups.  

So because I lack patience for lining up for things voluntarily and because I have all the equipment and know-how lol--I decided to make my own.  

London Fog Japanese Cheesecake (infused with looseleaf Earl Grey Tea Leaves)


Matcha Japanese Cheesecake 

These cheeesecakes went over really well with my contractor and workers.  I'm currently still under construction over here!

Perhaps in a few more months we'll be done and I can do more posting of my recipes.  Let me know in the comments if you would like these different flavoured cheesecake recipes.  If you would just like to make the vanilla one, you can scroll down and look for it (or search my archives)

If you have all the equipment for these Japanese Souffle Pancakes, it's a breeze.   Okay I admit it's a little bit of an involved process just like any other Japanese dessert!  But if you persevere you will be rewarded with the fluffiest most delicate, delicious light and airy pancakes you've tasted.

I was shocked at how good they were.  Give it a go!

JAPANESE SOUFFLE PANCAKES

4 large eggs

3 tablespoons milk

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup cake flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

4 tablespoons granulated sugar

2 tablespoons neutral flavoured oil (I use grapeseed or avocado oil) or nonstick spray for the pan

To Serve:

whipping cream (canister or whipped heavy cream)

Powdered sugar

Fresh Berries

Maples Syrup

Special equipment: 6 ring molds (stainless steel); or you can make your own from cleaned out tuna cans and parchment paper (you can make parchment paper rings with strips of parchment); nonstick pan; nonstick spray

Makes 6 souffle pancakes

1. Preheat nonstick frying pan on low heat.  Ensure your pan is large enough to hold your 6 ring molds

2. Separate whites from yolks: Whites will go into electric mixing bowl. Yolks will go into another bowl

3. In the Yolks bowl: add milk, vanilla, cake flour & baking powder.  Whisk well to combine

4. In the electric mixing bowl, whip whites until frothy; gradually add in the 4 tablespoons of sugar.  Continue mixing at med-high speed (speed 8 on KitchenAid) for 6 minutes or until stiff peaks form

5.  Take 1/3 of the meringue and add it to the yolk mixture.  Combine well to lighten the batter.  Then pour the entire yolk mixture back into the whites and using a whisk, gently fold the batter until you do not see clumps of egg white.  Be gentle and don't try to deflate the meringue

6.  Using nonstick spray, spray the insides of the steel ring molds.  Spray the nonstick pan surface. Place the molds on the nonstick pan.  

7. Using a ladle or 1/4 cup measuring scoop, pour the batter into all 6 molds...equally dividing all the batter between the 6 ring molds

8.  Maintain a constant low to med-low temperature for the nonstick pan.  Cover with a lid if you can during the cooking process (mine covered the molds but had a big gap and didn't meet the edge of the pan but it was okay)

9.  Set your timer for 6-7 minutes.  Check the bottoms of one of the pancakes to see if it is turning golden brown.  If it is...good!  If not, turn up the heat a bit and keep an eye on it until the bottoms are set and golden brown.  I used rubber-tipped tongs to help hold/tilt the ring molds to check.  

10.  When you are ready to flip, use either rubberized tongs or heat-resistant gloves/oven mitts to help turn the molds over and upside down onto the pan to cook the other side.

11.  If the cakes don't fall down to rest on the pan to cook and are stuck at the top of your mold, you will need to carefully press them down until they reach the bottom of the pan (I used a special circular press to push them down)

12.  Continue to cook the other side of the pancake until it is golden brown.  Remove the molds (I used my rubberized tongs to remove the rings)

13. Serve with whipping cream, fresh berries, powdered sugar and maple syrup 

Makes 6 souffle pancakes

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🦄UNICORN CUPCAKES

gf chocolate cupcakes with raspberry-blueberry-vanilla swirl buttercream

No worries people, no unicorns were harmed in the making of these cupcakes.

My baby is 11 years old and this is the 2nd batch of gf chocolate cupcakes I made for her birthday.  The first batch was with a simple vanilla buttercream and she brought all 24 to share with her class on her birthday.  Her pal is Celiac as is another child in the class so I made sure to make everything gluten free (and no nuts of course).  My daughter is allergic to nuts and so are several children in the school.

extra shiny bling from colourful dragees. I don't like their crunch but they sure are pretty

This 2nd batch of cupcakes was for her birthday party on the weekend.  We went to The Luminous Elephant and she and her gal pals made bath bombs, sang karaoke, nibbled on snacks and ate these Unicorn Cupcakes.  

there are no artificial colours in the buttercream frosting! I used organic blueberry and raspberry powders for intense flavour and gorgeous natural colour

Some of the girls were in her class and had tasted the 1st batch; so I asked which they preferred.  They all chimed at once "these!" The frosting tastes SO good!  

I had butterfly pea flower and could have made a blue buttercream too and now I'm slightly disappointed I forgot to use that too. Oh well, 3 colours is enough lol!

In fact, I have green (spinach powder), orange (carrot powder) and red (beet powder) but was hesitant to use veggie flavours because y'know kids might detect the veggies in their buttercream! Maybe next time I'll be more daring haha!

the tri-coloured swirl effect was so pretty

GF CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES WITH UNICORN BERRY-SWIRL FROSTING

(adapted from Barefoot Contessa's "Beatty's Chocolate Cake")

• 1 3/4 cups gluten free flour [I used Namaste gf flour]
• 2 cups organic evaporated cane sugar
• 3/4 cups cocoa powder 
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup organic buttermilk [or 1 cup organic milk & 1 tablespoon lemon juice mixed with milk to acidulate]
• 1/2 cup avocado oil
• 2 extra large free range  eggs, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 shots espresso in a measuring cup; topped up with hot water to make 1 cup coffee

SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:

• 2 Muffin tins
• 24 large/extra large paper cupcake liners

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare 2 muffin tins by lining with 24 large-extra large cupcake liners
2. Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and mix on low speed until combined. 
3. In another bowl, combine the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry. With mixer still on low, add the hot coffee and stir just to combine, scraping the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula. 
4. Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for 30-35 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. 
5. Cool in the pans for 30 minutes, then turn them out onto a cooling rack and cool completely.

UNICORN BERRY-SWIRL FROSTING

• 4 Cups confectioner's sugar
• 3 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 Tbsp milk
• 1 teaspoon organic raspberry powder
• 1 teaspoon organic blueberry powder

1. In an electric mixing bowl, beat the butter until creamy and smooth
2. Add the confectioner’s sugar 1/2 cup at a time
3. Add vanilla extract and gradually add milk until the buttercream is at a consistency that is not too stiff. Continue beating for 5-7 minutes at medium speed until light in colour
4. Divide the buttercream into 3 different bowls.  In one bowl, add the raspberry powder and mix well until combined.
5. In another bowl, add the blueberry powder and mix well until combined.
6. Prepare a large pastry bag by scooping the 3 different coloured buttercreams inside
7. Pipe/swirl the buttercream on the tops of the cooled cupcakes

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