Soufflé pancakes, also known as Japanese fluffy pancakes, are loved for their cloud-like texture and jiggly nature. Unlike European pancakes, which are typically thin and crispy, a soufflé pancake can be up to two inches high.
Cream Pot in Waikiki, Hawaii, claims to have invented the original recipe, but it was at Cafe Micasadeco in Tokyo that these airy treats became mainstream. Today they are made and loved around the world: Fuwa Fuwa in Paris serves a tiramisu version; Gram Cafe in Sydney tops its take with biscoff and matcha cream. Flipper’s in New York serves a stack so tall that it’s suggested you eat them with two forks.
Matcha soufflé pancakes at Gram Cafe in Sydney
Tiramisu soufflé pancakes at Fuwa Fuwa in Paris © Fuwa Fuwa Paris / AMJ888
Mastering the art of making soufflé pancakes is a tricky but rewarding process; it might take you a few goes. “Honestly, I didn’t expect to have as much trouble with these as I did,” says Kristin Atwood, founder of production house Chef Studio. “My first tip would be to buy enough ingredients to make multiple batches in case the first one goes awry.”
