Crazy but true: Pancakes have been around for thousands of years!
While you may say it’s impossible to improve this quintessential breakfast food, it’s time to start thinking outside the pan. From eye-popping pancake art to gravity-defying decadence, keep reading to find out how Japanese pancakes are deliciously reinventing the wheel for the new millennium!
4 Japanese Gadgets That Will Redefine Your Breakfast
Note: These electrical products are designed for use in Japan. Please purchase an appropriate outlet adapter for the country of intended use.
Roky Stick Pancake Maker
For your stomach, pancakes are always a good idea. Unfortunately, there are times when it’s difficult to satisfy your craving—whether you’re on a road trip, too tired to clean dishes, or you only want a light snack. The Roky Stick Pancake Maker is your solution. Just plug in the small thermos-shaped pancake maker, let it heat up, add a bit of butter or oil, and then pour the batter through the built-in funnel. Poke in a skewer, wait 10 minutes, and your patience will be rewarded with a steaming, fluffy pancake shaped like the world’s largest Pocky! This gadget can bake plenty of other delicious breakfasts-on-a-stick, too, like omelets and quiches. Experiment with your favorite batters and see what you can “roll” out next!
Récolte Smile Baker
True to its name, the Récolte Smile Baker is sure to make you grin with its cute cutouts and perfectly browned pancakes. The easy-to-use hotplate evenly bakes your desired shape in just three minutes with no flipping required, freeing you up for other tasks between batter pours. The two sets of interchangeable plates included with the Smile Baker let you choose between traditional pancakes and a “gingerbread cookie” pancake family, but you can also purchase additional plates for even more fun, like smiley faces, doughnuts, waffles, and Nico-Poom (which feature four Japanese emoji—happy, stubborn, upset, and surprised—that are thick enough to fill with a dab of pudding or red bean paste). Thanks to the Smile Baker’s non-stick surface, cleaning up is as simple as wiping away any excess batter and then shelving the plates neatly in their storage tray.
Twin Cup Cake Maker “Cup de Illusion”
Not to be confused with cupcakes, The Twin Cup Cake Maker “Cup de Illusion” bakes a pair of perfect pancake cups in less than five minutes, giving you just enough time to decide what cute arrangement you’re going to create with your tasty toppings. The non-stick cup-shaped forms are also great for creating unique party appetizers – the manufacturer suggests experimenting with pie dough, dumpling wrappers, rice, and even noodles!
Récolte Waffle Bowl Maker
There’s something about waffles that brings out our culinary creativity. Maybe it’s the neatly aligned rows of recessed squares waiting to brim with maple syrup, honey, or melting ice cream, or perhaps it’s the crisp exterior that’s perfect for piling on a stomach ache-inducing amount of strawberries and whipped cream. Whatever the reason, the Récolte Waffle Bowl Maker is every waffle artist’s dream. Not only can you bake a leak-free waffle bowl that can safely hold all your favorite toppings, but you can also create the bowl size you want by controlling how much batter you pour.
Like the other gadgets listed above, this waffle bowl maker goes beyond the bounds of breakfast. Replace the waffle batter with ingredients like rice or noodles, eat your bowl for dinner, and skip washing dishes for the night!
Fun Pans and Rings for the Perfect Japanese Pancake
Clovercast Iron Pans
If you love pancakes, you’ll flip for this Japanese-designed Clovercast Iron Pan—especially if you’re looking for a faster, simpler way to put food on the table. Bake up to four fluffy pancakes at once, or share the space with other breakfast essentials like omelets and sausage. The hollow circle in the center of the pan is ideal for holding ketchup, dips, or sauces, and since the pan comes with two lids, you don’t have to worry about grease splattering onto your pancakes when cooking.
Fluffy Soufflé Pancake Rings
Why settle for a short stack of pancakes when you can make one towering Japanese-style soufflé pancake instead? Soft, fluffy and thick, these over-the-top treats are one of the latest trends coming out of Japan, and you can easily whip up some of your own with the help of these Fluffy Soufflé Pancake Rings made by Yoshikawa. Choose between a cat, heart, or traditional circle design, then bake, decorate, and devour.
KAI Character Pancake Rings
If Saturday morning pancakes are a tradition in your household, these mini KAI Character Pancake Rings are sure to make your sweet treat even more fun to eat. Simply pour the batter into the stainless-steel mold, let the pancake firm up, then flip it over in the pan to finish the other side. Sprinkle a little powdered sugar or cinnamon over the stencil and like magic, a cute character appears.
Foolproof Flapjacks with These Popular Japanese Pancake Mixes
Morinaga Pancake and Hotcake Mixes
Morinaga has been crafting sweet confections for over 100 years, and is widely considered to be the go-to brand in Japan for pancake and hotcake mixes.
But what’s the difference between the two? Both are equally delicious, but Morinaga’s Pancake Mix is ideal when serving a stack as part of a breakfast meal. The pancakes are denser and only slightly sweetened, making them perfect for pairing with sausage or bacon. On the other hand, Morinaga’s Hotcake Mix is a sweeter snack meant for enjoying between meals with a cup of coffee or tea.
Showa Matcha Pancake Mix & Syrup
With its rich, slightly bitter taste, matcha is a favorite flavor in Japan, and can be found in a variety of tempting sweets from KitKat to Oreo. Now, Showa’s Matcha Pancake Mix & Syrup brings the enticing flavor of Japanese green tea to your flapjacks. Each package comes with enough mix and syrup to make around eight pancakes, and because the matcha mitsu (a molasses-like sugar syrup) is packaged separately from the rest of the mix ingredients, you have the option of adding the syrup directly into the batter for a subtle matcha aroma and color or drizzling it on top for a more concentrated kick of matcha flavor.
Where to Buy Japanese Pancake Goods
Japan’s pancake-making techniques are beginning to receive the worldwide recognition they deserve. And with these easy-to-use gadgets and pancake mixes, you don’t need to be in Japan to enjoy them. There’s no better time to experience this batter phenomenon for yourself, so be sure to check out FROM JAPAN’s full selection of unique Japanese pancake goods. If you see something tasty you should snap it up, because it’s sure to sell like… wait for it… hotcakes!
