I can't find cake flour. Can I use another type of flour to make taiyaki?

Yes you can. Use 200g all purpose flour and add 3 1/2 tablespoons of cornstarch. Mix well and you have just made cake flour! Make sure to remeasure your flour before following the recipe steps since you have just added a significant amount of cornstarch to it.

The fish broke when I pulled it out of the mold. Why is that?

It could be that the batter wasn't done cooking or that the temperature of the burner is too low, preventing the taiyaki pan from getting hot enough. It could also be that not enough batter was used or that it wasn't spread throughout to seal all the edges properly.

Can I make this recipe gluten-free?

Yes you can make gluten-free taiyaki! Instead of using cake flour, use gluten-free flour or rice flour. I recommend adding an additional 2 tablespoons of water when using these 2 types of flour to help them get the right level of hydration. Gluten-free flours also need less time to sit in the fridge so it should be okay to use after 30 minutes to 1 hour.

Taiyaki (鯛焼き)

Description

Making taiyaki is a fun activity you can do with your kids. These fish waffles can be filled with sweet or savory fillings, and make a wonderful snack or dessert.

Ingredients

Units Scale

200g cake flour or pancake flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
Pinch of salt
140ml water
100ml milk or non dairy alternative such as oat milk or soy milk
1 large egg
Neutral oil for brushing the taiyaki pan

Filling

Anko (sweet red bean paste)
Nutella (optional)
Strawberry jam (optional)

Tools needed

Taiyaki pan

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Instructions

Add dry ingredients to a bowl: In a bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, and salt.
Mix wet ingredients and chill the batter in the fridge: Whisk in the water, milk, and egg, and mix until the batter is smooth. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour, up to 2 hours.
Warm up the taiyaki pan: Brush the fish molds with a little oil and place the taiyaki pan on a burner over medium-low heat. Give it a couple of minutes to warm up.
Add batter to the taiyaki pan: Pour enough batter in each mold to cover about 50% of the surface, leaving the tail part empty (it will fill up once you add a filling and more batter).
Add the filling: Let the batter cook for a few seconds and place a little anko (or other filling of your choice) in each of the molds.
Add more batter and flip the pan:Top with more batter until the filling is covered, this time filling the tail portion as well. Close the top part of the taiyaki pan and flip it.
Cook the taiyaki: Cook for 2 – 3 minutes and flip the pan. Cook for another 1-2 minutes, until both sides are golden brown. Not all taiyaki pan are the same sizes so yours may take more or less time to cook.
Serve: Transfer to a baking rack and let cool for a few minutes before eating.

Notes

Leftovers: Keep leftover taiyaki in an airtight storage container and refrigerate for up to 2 days. To freeze, wrap each taiyaki individually and place them in an airtight storage container or bag. They will keep for up to 6 weeks.

Reheating taiyaki: Use a toaster to reheat taiyaki or warm them up in a pan, without using any oil. Both methods should yield a crispy exterior. You can also microwave taiyaki for 20 seconds, but the texture won’t be crispy. It will be more pancake-like.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 taiyaki fish
Calories: 111
Sugar: 2.8g
Sodium: 279.1mg
Fat: 0.8g
Saturated Fat: 0.2g
Unsaturated Fat: 0.2g
Trans Fat: 0g
Carbohydrates: 22.4g
Fiber: 0.6g
Protein: 3.1g
Cholesterol: 18.6mg