How To Make Taiyaki (Fish-shaped Cake Recipe)

Taiyaki is a aureate fish-shaped cake, it'due south crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside and filled with sugariness red bean paste. This well-loved sweet doesn't only take to be enjoyed at Japanese street vendors, brand information technology in your ain kitchen with this delicious recipe!

Three golden Taiyaki (fish shaped red bean cake) on a brown plate

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What is Taiyaki?

Taiyaki is a type of "wagashi" (和菓子) Japanese sweet. A waffle-similar batter is poured into a sea bream (tai) shaped mold and filled with a sweetness adzuki red bean paste chosen "anko".

This iconic sugariness is well loved by everyone in Japan. Nowadays, taiyaki are sold in a variety of shapes and sizes. The fillings are non only limited to sweet cherry-red bean paste, but likewise cream, cheese, matcha, chocolate, and many other pop flavors.

Three golden Taiyaki (fish shaped red bean cake) on a brown plate with cup of tea

History of Taiyaki

According to the "Encyclopedia of Food Origins," taiyaki was first created past Seijiro Kanbe, the first owner of a shop named "Naniwaya Honten", which was founded in 1909.

During the Meiji era (1868-1912), he started selling a type of block chosen "imagawayaki". Imagawayaki is a thick, pancake-looking sweet filled with red bean paste.

Unfortunately, his imagawayaki was non popular at all, so he started to create different shapes using the same ingredients. In fact, it is said that the first ever shape was turtle, non fish! But after some trial and fault, the current shape of the "tai" bounding main bream sold the best.

Sea bream is a mutual fish in modern days, only back then, this wasn't the example. In fact, sea bream was rarely eaten past regular people back and so, information technology was considered a luxury nutrient and you were lucky if you had a chance to consume it. Because of taiyaki's shape, regular people could savor the luck and luxury brought from eating bounding main bream!

Taiyaki contend

As per usual, there are always funny discussions in Japan concerning food, let me tell you about the controversial debate that surrounded taiyaki.

There was once a controversy involving literary scholars, at present cited as the "Taiyaki controversy", most whether or not the tail part should be filled with cherry-red bean paste. It all started when a novelist, Tsuruo Ando, wrote a story in the newspaper stating that "taiyaki is more delicious when it is filled with cherry-red bean paste up to the tail".

That statement set taiyaki fundamentalists off! Because originally, the tail was supposed to exist like a handle to option upward and hold, so at that place was no paste in the role. In the finish, in that location were an equal amount of pros and cons and then an agreement was never reached.

In addition to this, people oft argue whether y'all should swallow from the head or the tail showtime. What exercise you remember?

Taiyaki cut in half to show red bean filling

Kids honey taiyaki

Kids love taiyaki not only because of the charming look, but also the gustation. I've e'er loved information technology too!

In fact, you tin can see how popular information technology is by the fact that song called "Oyoge! Taiyaki-kun" (Swim! Taiyaki) released in 1975 has sold more than 4.five million copies on difficult CD. Even at present, this is the kind of a song that every Japanese person knows off by heart.

FYI, the song is almost a life of taiyaki.

Which taiyaki maker to buy?

In that location are roughly iii types of taiyaki maker available for home use. I will explicate pros and cons for all of them so that you can choose the most suitable one for you lot!

Atomic number 26 taiyaki maker

This is the most similar to what taiyaki shops use. It is an iron plate with a taiyaki mold on it and a long handle. You place the mold over the stove, they should piece of work with both gas or electric stoves.

It is compact enough to cook two taiyakis at a time. The thick ironware allows for slow cooking and allows the crust to get crispy. For a crisp, well defined Taiyaki shape, I highly recommend this blazon.

1 of the biggest cons would be the fact it's harder to handle compared to the ones below.

I use this blazon when I make the recipe! Yous tin purchase ane here on Amazon.

Fluoroplastic coated taiyaki maker

Like in shape to the fe one, but made of aluminum alloy and coated with fluoroplastic. It prevents the dough from sticking to the pan, so it is definitely easier to handle. They're as well lighter and a little cheaper.

1 of the cons is taiyaki tend to be paler than the ones with iron.

Y'all can purchase ane on Amazon here.

Electric Taiyaki Cooker

This is the easiest way. It is basically taiyaki version of a waffle maker. It doesn't even utilise fire, so you tin can have fun making it with your kids.

Withal, taiyaki itself will be very soft and most impossible to make it crispy like the ones with fe maker.

Yous can purchase it on Amazon here.

Tips and tricks to make shop quality taiyaki at dwelling house

As y'all tin imagine, taiyaki is not the easiest Japanese sweets to make, in fact, it could be tricky actually.

Then I'grand going to list tips and tricks to use when you lot desire to make taiyaki at habitation!

Mix the concoction well

When yous make concoction, it is important to sift flour to the water and mix carefully until there are no lumps, in lodge to make a cute smooth taiyaki concoction.

If y'all tin strain the mixture, that would be perfect!

Lightly grease the mold

For a beautiful finish, you should lightly grease your mold. You want information technology to be evenly greased likewise, and the best way to do this is to rub a small-scale corporeality of vegetable oil over the mold using a paper towel.

The paper towel will as well absorb any backlog oil which will prevent spots on your taiyaki, y'all desire a smooth and aureate surface.

Brand sure to become into all the nooks and crevices for the best results!

Make full the mold about one-tertiary at first

The ideal amount of taiyaki batter to exist poured into a taiyaki mold is about 1-3rd of the mold. For me, this is most 1 tbsp of batter for each side of each taiyaki.

The amount of concoction yous use tin alter the texture, and then it'south important to be careful when y'all pour the concoction into mold.

It's okay to go outside the lines

You don't need to be a perfectionist when it comes to filling the mold. Adding the batter quickly and spreading it around evenly is more than important than keeping within the lines.

I also observe that spreading some batter around the outside of the edges stops it from falling out of the mold when y'all flip information technology.

In one case it'due south cooked, you can neaten the edges with kitchen pair of scissors anyway.

Exist conscientious about the amount of filling

If there is also much, the paste may burst out of the taiyaki and become sticky. If there is too little, the tastiest part of the taiyaki will be smaller and smaller, so it is important to put the right amount into the taiyaki batter.

In my recipe, I put 40g of anko paste in each taiyaki.

Divide the filling in advance

Measuring out each portion of filling in advance makes a less stressful cooking experience.

I gyre my anko into 6 cylinders, each 40g. You tin besides check the size compared to the mold so that you can see if the anko fits in hands.

If y'all're using runny fillings similar Nutella or custard, you could separate two portions at a time into small bowls.

Sealing the taiyaki

To seal the top and bottom halves together, we drizzle some batter over the filling earlier endmost the mold. This will "glue" each side together.

Do not cook with high heat

The ideal heat to cook taiyaki is low to medium-depression heat, considering if the heat is also loftier, the surface may be burned but the inside may non be cooked through.

Cooking patiently is also a key!

A Taiyaki cake ripped in half to reveal red bean filling

I hope you bask making this classic street nutrient sweetness in your ain kitchen!

Impress

Description

How to make iconic Taiyaki (たいやき) sea bream shaped cake filled with red edible bean paste. (Makes 6)

25g cornstarch
125g cake flour
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp baking powder
20g light chocolate-brown sugar
½ tbsp love
1 pinch salt
i egg
A drop of vanilla essence
150ml whole milk
1 tsp vegetable oil + extra for greasing
240g anko red bean paste (bank check out my mesomorphic cherry bean paste recipe)

Add the dry ingredients to a basin and mix. (25g corn starch, 125g cake flour, ½ tsp baking soda and ½ tsp baking powder.)
In a separate basin add together 20g sugar, ½ tbsp honey, pinch of salt, ane egg and a drop vanilla essence and whisk them together.
Sift the dry ingredients into the wet mixture i third at a time, whisking between each add-on.
Cascade in 150ml milk 1 third at a time and whisk well.
Add together 1 tsp veg oil and whisk until the batter is smooth.
Cover the bowl and rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Divide the anko ruby bean paste into 6 cylinders, approx 40g each.
After 30 minutes have passed, grease both sides of the taiyaki pan with a sparse layer of vegetable oil. Spread it around with a newspaper towel.
Place i side of the mold onto the stove and turn the heat on low/medium-low. Warm up for a minute or two.
Add 1 tbsp of batter to each side of the mold on the lesser half and spread it around using the back of a spoon. Brand certain to go over edges of the taiyaki shape to stop information technology falling when you flip the mold.
In one case it's set (cooked plenty that it doesn't run out), flip the mold and so that the empty one is on the stove and repeat step 10.
Place an anko cylinder into the centre of each taiyaki.
Drizzle another tbsp of the batter over the top of the anko filling to human action as a glue.
Close the mold and heat for one ½ to 2 minutes on each side. (This varies from stove to stove then make sure not to go out unattended, you can flip when y'all can smell the sweet, baked smell of taiyaki.)
Repeat process until yous have 6 taiyaki in full.
Relish!

Notes

Best enjoyed on the day of making.

Experience free to attempt out other fillings such as custard, chocolate, peanut butter, etc!

Prep Time: 10 mins
Chilling Time: 30 mins
Cook Time: 20 mins
Category: Sweets
Method: Fry
Cuisine: Japanese

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