Taiyaki, or Bungeobbang in Korean, is a fish-shaped waffle traditionally filled with red bean paste. Sometimes it's also filled with custard (vanilla pastry cream), which is my favorite filling. I made blueberry jam to use up some berries in my freezer as well, and served the taiyaki with matcha-honey ice cream (recipe below).

I find the best tricks for taiyaki is to pour the batter in a preheated mold from tail-to-head about 1/4 way up. By covering the whole mold, it allows more surface area to fit more filling side without leakage. Drizzle more batter on top until the mold is filled, then close the pan and rotate immediately to encase the filling.

Other filling ideas include chocolates, Nutella, cheese, even meat!

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Yield 6

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Taiyaki Ingredients

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• 1 1/4 cups cake flour, sifted (150 g)

• 2 teaspoons baking powder (10 g)

• 3 Tablespoons granulated sugar (45 g)

• 3/4 cup milk or water (180 g)

• 1 egg, beaten (50 g)

• 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup anko (red bean paste) or desired filling (see pastry cream and jam below) (100 g)

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Instructions

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1. Mix cake flour, baking powder, and sugar together. Beat egg with water/milk. Add to the flour mixture and mix well. Should be a slightly thinner consistency than buttermilk pancake or waffle batter. Move batter to an easy pour container.

2. Preheat taiyaki pan on medium heat. Brush oil on the both sides of the pan (inside part of pan). Pour a small amount of batter to the preheated pan (on one side). Add a large spoonful of filling. Then pour a little more batter just enough to cover the paste. Close the pan and turn over.

3. Reduce to medium low heat. Cook for about 30 seconds and turn the pan over again. Repeat turning the pan as needed. Cook until they’re golden brown on each side. It should take a total of 3 to 4 minutes.

4. Trim edges off. You can cool them on a cooling rack or serve them right away.

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Pastry Cream Ingredients

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• 1 cup milk (240 g)

• 1/2 vanilla bean, split and scraped, or some vanilla extract/paste

• 1/4 cup sugar (56 g)

• Pinch salt

• 1 1/2 Tablespoons cornstarch (22 g)

• 1 egg + 1 egg yolk (50 g egg, 20 g yolk)

• 1 1/2 Tablespoons unsalted butter (22 g)

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Instructions

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1. Bring milk and vanilla to a simmer in a small pot

2. In a small bowl, mix together sugar, salt, and cornstarch. Add egg and yolk and whisk well. Slowly temper in hot milk while stirring.

3. Return whole mixture to pot and bring to a boil until thick, whisking constantly. Continue to cook and whisk until starch taste is gone, about 30-60 seconds.

4. Remove from heat and stir in softened butter to emulsify. Wrap in plastic wrap to prevent the formation of a skin, and cool

 

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Easy Blueberry Jam

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1. Mixed blueberries (fresh or frozen), white sugar, and cornstarch together in a pot. Boil until thick and adjust sweetener/thickener as needed.

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Matcha Honey Ice Cream (yield 1 1/2 quarts)

• 650 g heavy cream

• 400 g milk

• 125 g light corn syrup

• 125 g honey

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 100 g sugar

• 23 g cornstarch

• Pinch salt

• Matcha to taste (depends on brand, etc) - start with 3 Tbsp

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Instructions

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1. Put cream, milk, corn syrup, honey, and vanilla in a pot.

2. Whisk together dry ingredients in a bowl and slowly add some of the liquids to form a paste. Make sure there are no lumps and keep adding liquid until you have a smooth, fluid mixture. Pour back into pot

3. Bring to a boil and whisk constantly. Once boiling, continue to cook for 1 minute (still whisking) to boil out starch taste. Taste, and if needed, blend in more matcha powder (with a blender, or make a paste with some of the liquid and add mix back into pot.)

4. Transfer ice cream base to another container and chill in an ice bath until mixture is cold. Churn according to manufacturer’s instructions and freeze until solid.​