Japanese Desserts - Dorayaki!

Yes, I think it's time for another post....

What to write about this time?

I think about my childhood when I think about this next dessert - Dorayaki.

Dorayaki, as you can see, looks like 2 ordinary pancakes on top of each other, but there is something in between the 2 pancakes. The Dorayaki is now usually filled with red bean paste (though not originally) in the middle. The two pancake 'patties' are made from castella.

Why Dorayaki, you ask? Basically because I grew up watching Doraemon, in case you don't know, Doraemon is a Japanese anime (initially a manga/comic, like other animes) about a robot cat from the future made by Nobita's great great grandson, Sewashi (ironically scared of mice because of bad experiences before Doraemon went back to the past to help this boy called Nobita).

Anyway, that's pretty much the background on Doraemon, but one thing that remained quite consistent in the episodes of the anime was that Doraemon loves to eat the Dorayaki. After reading some of the manga and watching some of the episodes of the anime, it made me somewhat crave for the cake - and yes, I have tried it before (though not the authentic ones...but it was close? I think I'd have to go to Japan to actually taste the REAL deal) and it was quite nice.

So here it is, the history behind this ordinary-looking cake.

The Dorayaki originally had only one layer and the current shape that it has now was invented in 1914.

Legend has it, that the first Dorayaki was made when a samurai (something to do with military nobility) named Benkei forgot his gong (dora in Japanese) when he left a farmer's house in which he was hiding. And so the farmer used the gong to fry the pancakes, thus the name, Dorayaki.

Now I don't know how accurate this legend is...(considering that it IS a legend) but it was quite interestingly funny in a way to tell how this cake came about =D.

Here are more pictures of the cake;

Doesn't it look appetising?

I'm really drooling as I type this post....

If you guys ever do go to Japan, consider trying these while you're there!

Anyway, that's it for now

Until next time! ;D