Imagawayaki (今川焼き, filled griddle cake)

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Imagawayaki mold, preferably brass
• •Heavy skillet with 3-inch metal rings as a stand-in
• •Small ladle or measuring cup
• •Thin offset spatula or bamboo skewer
• •Cooling rack

Instructions

1. 1

   Portion the anko

   Divide the anko into six portions, about 50g each, and shape each into a squat round. This keeps the filling centered and lets you close the batter around it quickly. If the paste is soft, chill it for ten minutes so it holds its shape.

2. 2

   Mix the batter

   Whisk the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt in a bowl. In another bowl, whisk the egg, milk, oil, and honey until smooth, then stir the wet mixture into the dry just until no dry flour shows. Don't beat it hard. A little restraint keeps the cake tender instead of rubbery.

3. 3

   Rest the batter

   Let the batter rest for ten minutes while the flour hydrates and the baking powder begins its quiet work. The batter should pour thickly from a spoon, like heavy cream. If it sits in a lump, loosen it with a teaspoon or two of milk.

   Resting is not ceremony. It gives the flour time to drink, so the batter spreads evenly in the mold and browns more cleanly.
4. 4

   Heat the mold

   Heat an imagawayaki mold over medium-low heat and brush it lightly with oil. No mold? Use six small metal rings set in a heavy skillet. The shape won't be quite the shop version, but the method is honest if the heat is steady.

5. 5

   Fill and cover

   Spoon batter into each well to cover the bottom by about 1/3 inch. Set one portion of anko in the center, then spoon more batter over it until the filling is just covered. Work neatly, not anxiously. Batter touching the sides helps seal the cake.

6. 6

   Cook slowly

   Cook until the edges look set and the underside is golden brown, about four to five minutes. Turn the cakes carefully and cook the second side another four to five minutes. If the face darkens in two minutes, the heat is too high. Lower it and let the center catch up.

7. 7

   Rest and serve

   Move the cakes to a rack for two minutes before serving. That short rest lets the crumb finish setting and keeps the crust from turning wet on the plate. Serve warm, when the anko is soft but still contained.

Chef Tips

• •Use good anko. This sweet has no sauce and no decoration to hide behind, so the bean paste must taste clean, rounded, and not harshly sugary.
• •A brass imagawayaki mold gives the best heat and shape. A cast-iron skillet with metal rings is the sensible stand-in, but keep the heat lower than you think.
• •Wipe away stray batter from the mold before it burns. Burnt scraps cling to the next cake and make the surface taste bitter.
• •Serve fewer cakes on the plate than seems generous. Three warm discs with space around them look calmer than a pile. Leave it room.

Advance Preparation

• •The anko can be portioned a day ahead and kept covered in the refrigerator.
• •The dry ingredients can be mixed the night before. Add the wet ingredients shortly before cooking, because the baking powder should do its work in the mold, not in the bowl.
• •Cooked imagawayaki are best warm, but they can be refrigerated for two days. Rewarm gently in a covered skillet, then uncover briefly to restore the surface.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 105g)