Taiyaki (Japanese Fish Shaped Waffle)
A classic street vendor snack in Japan, Taiyaki is a warm, fish-shaped cake with sweet red bean filling. This waffle-like Japanese treat is very popular at street fairs and festivals. In this recipe, I‘ll show you how you can make fresh, hot Taiyaki at home.
Ingredients
Servings: pieces
- 1¼ cups cake flour (weigh your flour; click Metric button for weights; you can make homemade cake flour)
- 1 large egg (50 g each w/o shell)
- ¾ cup whole milk (plus more; see my Tips in the instructions)
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 3 Tbsp sugar
- 8 Tbsp sweet red bean paste (anko) (divided; see Notes)
- 1 Tbsp neutral oil (for cooking)
Instructions
Before You Start
- The batter requires a resting time of 1 hour. I highly encourage you to weigh your ingredients using a kitchen scale. Click the Metric button above for weights. If you don't have a scale, here's how to measure flour with a measuring cup to avoid scooping too much: Fluff the flour with a spoon, sprinkle it into the measuring cup, and level it off.
- Gather all the ingredients. You will need a taiyaki maker. Each brand comes with a different-sized mold. If you are using the maker for the first time, consider this a trial run for how much batter to measure for your particular maker.
To Make the Batter
- Sift 1¼ cups cake flour, 1 tsp baking powder, and 1 tsp baking soda into a large bowl.
- Add 3 Tbsp sugar and whisk to combine.
- Whisk 1 large egg (50 g each w/o shell) in a medium bowl. Add ¾ cup whole milk and mix together until combined.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Whisk until smooth and combined. Refrigerate the batter for at least one hour to relax the gluten and hydrate the flour.Nami's Tip: Add 1–1½ Tbsp milk if the batter is too thick. The batter should be smooth and pourable—thicker than pancake batter, thinner than waffle mix, and similar to melted ice cream.
- Pour the batter into a spouted measuring cup or jug.
To Cook the Taiyaki
- Preheat the taiyaki maker over medium-low heat. When it's hot, brush the pan with neutral oil.
- Pour batter into each mold until they're 60% full.
- Spoon 1 Tbsp anko paste into the center of each mold. Pour more batter on top to cover it.
- Nami's Tip: Here, I use Nutella instead of anko as a filling.
- Close the lid and immediately flip the pan over.
- Cook for 2–2½ minutes. Flip and cook the other side for another 2–2½ minutes. It's done when the taiyaki is golden brown. Remove from the pan and cool on a wire rack. Cook the remaining taiyaki.
To Serve
- Serve warm. If the taiyaki get cold, heat them in a toaster oven or oven until they're crisp on the outside.
To Store
- Keep in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month. To reheat, toast them in the toaster oven or oven until crisp on the outside.
Notes
Ingredients
- Anko: Use a store-bought can of Ogura-an, or make my homemade Anko recipe or Pressure Cooker Anko recipe. Substitute anko with Nutella, custard cream, chocolate, cheese, sweet potato paste, or your favorite filling.
Nutrition
Calories: 232kcal, Carbohydrates: 41g, Protein: 7g, Fat: 5g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 1g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 41mg, Sodium: 355mg, Potassium: 181mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 15g, Vitamin A: 120IU, Calcium: 106mg, Iron: 2mg
The nutrition facts shown are generated by an online calculator and are estimates only. Please consult a professional nutritionist for specific dietary needs.
