Dorayaki

Dorayaki is a Japanese confection made of two small round cakes of sponge-like batter sandwiched around a filling of sweet red bean paste (anko). It is a wagashi, a traditional Japanese sweet eaten with tea.

What it really is

The cakes are made from a batter of wheat flour, eggs, sugar and honey, with a little baking soda or baking powder for lift. Small rounds of batter are cooked on a flat griddle until golden on the base and set on top, then they are cooled and paired. The classic filling is sweet red bean paste (anko), made from azuki beans cooked with sugar; versions with whipped cream, custard or chestnut paste are later variations.

Dorayaki is often confused with the American pancake or with the Korean hotteok, but it is not a pancake served with syrup and it is not fried in oil. The cakes are soft and thin, the filling is sweet bean paste rather than fruit or cream, and the two halves are sold and eaten as one unit.

How it's served

• Served at room temperature or lightly chilled, usually as a snack or with green tea
• Eaten by hand, in a few bites, often cut in half for sharing
• Sold in Japanese confectionery shops and convenience stores, individually wrapped
• Often given as a gift or offered with tea at a visit

How to write it on the menu

• Name the filling: sweet red bean paste (anko) made from azuki beans, with wheat flour, egg and sugar in the cakes
• Flag allergens: contains wheat, eggs and sometimes milk if the cakes or filling include it
• State the variant, for example custard cream, whipped cream or chestnut
• Serve with a note that the cakes are soft and not fried