Taiyaki
Taiyaki is a Japanese street snack shaped like a sea bream, with a lightly crisp golden outside, a soft, fluffy inside and a sweet, nutty red bean filling tucked all the way through. It's best fresh off the mold, when you hear the crunch first and then taste the warm filling.
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 30 min
- Rising or chilling
- 30 min
- Total time
- 1 hr 20 min
- Method
- Pan-cooked or waffle iron
Ingredients
For the batter
For the filling
For greasing the mold
Instructions
Step 1
Sift 200 g cake flour with 6 g baking powder into a bowl and add 30 g granulated sugar and a pinch salt; in another bowl, beat 50 g eggs with 200 g whole milk and 10 g honey, then gradually pour it into the dry ingredients. Honey helps the shell turn a beautiful golden brown and smell even better. The batter is ready when it's smooth, as thick as drinkable yogurt and flows off the lifted whisk in an unbroken ribbon.
Step 2
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate the batter for about 30 minutes. Resting lets the starch absorb the liquid evenly and the gluten relax, so the shell turns out tender rather than chewy. The batter is ready when most of the bubbles on top have disappeared and it's slightly thicker than when first mixed.
Step 3
Divide 280 g sweet red bean paste into eight equal portions and shape each one into a long, flat log that follows the shape of the fish's body. Shaping the filling ahead lets you work fast while the mold is hot and keeps the filling neatly in the center. The filling is ready when the logs are evenly about one centimeter thick and slightly shorter than the mold cavity.
Step 4
Set the taiyaki mold over medium heat, warm both sides for about two minutes, then use a brush to lightly coat each cavity with to taste vegetable oil. Only an evenly hot mold gives a golden shell that releases easily. The mold is ready when a drop of batter sizzles softly and sets right away.
Step 5
Pour batter into one half of the mold until it's about six-tenths full, lay a log of filling in the middle, then pour a thin layer of batter over it to cover the filling completely. The top layer of batter helps the two halves stick together when you close the mold. You've done it right when the filling is fully covered and the batter just reaches the edge of the mold.
Step 6
Pour a thin layer of batter into the other half of the mold, close the mold right away and cook over low heat for about three minutes per side, flipping the mold once. Low heat lets the batter around the filling cook through before the shell burns. The taiyaki are done when you open the mold and both sides are an even golden brown with the fish scales clearly visible.
Step 7
Turn the taiyaki out onto a wire rack, snip off any excess batter around the edges with scissors and enjoy them while they're warm. The wire rack lets steam escape so the shell doesn't go soft and limp. They're ready when the edges are neat, the shell sounds crisp when tapped and the filling inside is hot and soft when you break one open.
Equipment
- Shaping molds
- Whisk
- Mixing bowl
- Sieve
- Kitchen scale
- Pastry brush
- Wire cooling rack
Tips
- You can swap the red bean paste for custard, chocolate or mashed sweet potato, as long as the filling is thick enough not to run out during cooking.
- If you cook on induction, choose a flat-bottomed taiyaki mold that's compatible and use slightly lower heat than you would on gas.
- Taiyaki that have cooled can be crisped up again by warming them in a 170°C oven for about three minutes.
Storage
Taiyaki are best eaten the same day. You can wrap them individually and refrigerate them for up to two days or freeze them for up to two weeks; to serve, warm them in the oven or an air fryer so the shell turns crisp again.
Common problems and how to fix them
- The shell sticks to the mold and tears when you take it out.
- The mold wasn't hot enough or wasn't oiled enough. Heat the mold longer, oil the scale grooves thoroughly and wait until the taiyaki are fully golden before opening the mold.
- The red bean filling pokes out of the shell.
- The layer of batter over the filling was too thin or the log of filling was too big. Shape the filling smaller than the mold cavity and pour in enough batter to cover it before closing the mold.
This recipe is based on the common ratios for this bake and is written entirely in our own words.
