SALTED CARAMEL PANCAKES

HOTTEOK

Hotteok, sweet pancakes filled with a brown sugar syrup and nuts, are beloved by young and old alike. These decadent treats were my sister Sonya’s choice dessert when we were kids. In each bite, you crunch through a crispy golden crust, then through a chewy dough and finally into a gooey centre. I’ve jazzed up the classic recipe by substituting the brown sugar with muscovado sugar, which is richer and ‘oozier’ when melted, and mixing it with a touch of salt. Feel free to make your own version as well – I’ve seen these pancakes filled with everything from walnuts and honey to mixed seeds. And they’re even better with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and/or whipped cream on top.

Ingredients

MAKES ABOUT TEN 10 CM (4 IN) PANCAKE

Dough:

  • 360 ml (12 fl oz) whole milk
  • 2 tbsp granulated sugar
  • 1 pack (7 g/1⁄4 oz) instant yeast
  • 225 g (8 oz) bread flour, plus extra for dusting
  • 150 g (51⁄2 oz) sweet rice flour
  • 11⁄2 tbsp cornflour
  • 1⁄2 tsp sea salt

 

Filling:

  • 125 g (41⁄2 oz) muscovado sugar
  • 75 g (23⁄4 oz) peanuts, roughly chopped
  • 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
  • 3⁄4 tsp sea salt
  • Vegetable oil, for frying

 

Method

FOR THE DOUGH:

  1. In a very small saucepan, heat the milk to about 41°C/105°F. Remove from the heat, add the sugar and yeast and whisk until they have dissolved. Leave to stand in a warm place for 3–5 minutes, or until bubbling, to activate the yeast.
  2. In a large bowl, combine the bread flour, rice flour, cornflour and salt. Slowly stir in the warm milk mixture until a sticky dough forms. Shape the dough into a ball in the base of the bowl and cover the bowl with a clean damp tea towel.
  3. Leave the dough to rise in a warm place for 11⁄2–2 hours until doubled in size. Knock it back and let it rise for 11⁄2 hours until doubled in size again.

 

FOR THE FILLING:

  1. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix together the muscovado sugar, peanuts, cinnamon and salt.
  2. After the dough has risen a second time, dust a clean work surface with flour and turn the dough out onto it. Dust the top of the dough with some more flour and knead it a few times. Shape the dough into a fat, long log.
  3. Cut the dough into ten equal pieces, shape each piece into a ball, set on the floured work surface, and cover with a clean tea towel or clingfilm. Dusting with flour as needed to prevent sticking, press a dough ball into a 10 cm (4 in) wide disc using your fingertips. Make sure the disc is uniformly thick so the finished pancake will be evenly filled with caramel.
  4. Put the disc in your hand and slightly cup it. Spoon 11⁄2–2 tablespoons of the filling into the centre of the disc. Seal the disc closed by wrapping the dough around the filling and pinching the edges together at the top. Once sealed, reshape gently to form a ball, set with the seam side down on the floured work surface and cover with a clean tea towel or clingfilm. Repeat with the remaining dough balls and filling.
  5. In a large non-stick frying pan, heat 3 tablespoons of oil over a medium-high heat. Put two or three dough balls seam-side down in the pan and immediately flatten them with a spatula to a width of about 10 cm (4 in). Reduce the heat to medium-low and fry the pancakes for 3–4 minutes until golden brown and crispy on the bottom. Flip them and cook for a further 3–4 minutes until slightly springy to the touch.
  6. Transfer the pancakes to a wire rack or kitchen paper-lined plate when done. Repeat with the remaining dough balls, wiping the pan clean and adding fresh oil for each batch. Leave the pancakes to cool slightly before serving. Beware, it’s easy to burn yourself in your haste to gobble these up, as the insides are hot and oozing.

 

Browse all recipes

Social media

@judyjoochef Instagram profile imageHonored to be part of @Bloomberg’s Women Who Lead: Shaping the Future of Food panel in London for International Women’s Day.

A meaningful conversation on the future of food and the role women play in shaping, leading, and redefining the industry every day.  And, a bit of a full circle moment coming back to the Bberg offices as a speaker....deja vu to my days working on Wall Street. 

Grateful to Ruth David for leading such an inspiring discussion, Kate Krader @kkrader for her vision and curation, and so honored to share the stage with my dear friend and powerhouse @asmakhanlondon and the amazing @yaroslavamalkova.

A powerful group of women shaping the future of food. 💙

Thank you @bloomberg for having me.
The last image is a screen grab from 2011 when I was the second most viewed person on Bberg.  Hysterical! 

#InternationalWomensMonth #WomenWhoLead #WomenInFood #FoodIndustry5 days ago via Instagram
@judyjoochef Instagram profile imageJust a little more from the final chapter of my South American adventure—Argentina. 🇦🇷

I wrapped the trip in the dazzling, delicious swirl that is Buenos Aires, a city I’ve loved for years and happily return to whenever I can. It has that irresistible European elegance—one minute you feel like you’re strolling through the south of France, the next like you’ve wandered onto a sunny piazza in Italy. Add world-class wine, legendary beef, and a dining scene buzzing with energy, and you’ve got a city that knows exactly how to live well.

This time, I slipped just outside the city for a proper gaucho moment at Estancia La Bamba de Areco. @relaischateaux The estancia feels like stepping into an old Argentine novel—sweeping pampas, whispering eucalyptus trees, wide verandas made for long glasses of Malbec, and rooms filled with beautiful equestrian antiques. And the horses—magnificent polo horses grazing across the fields like living sculptures.

Of course, the highlight was an authentic asado: flames crackling, smoky ribbons of beef slowly caramelizing over the grill, and that unmistakable perfume of wood smoke and sizzling fat drifting through the air. Pure Argentine magic.

Back in Buenos Aires, the meat pilgrimage continued with a spectacular feast at Corte Charcutería @cortecharcuteria and Corte Comedor @cortecomedor. These places are legendary for a reason. The rooms buzz with hungry diners—some still rolling in with suitcases in hand, clearly making this their very first stop in BA—and after one bite, you understand why.

Every cut was juicy, deeply flavorful, and impossibly tender. And the charcuterie? Absolutely brilliant. The kind that makes you pause mid-bite and appreciate the craft, patience, and passion behind it. @juanfrantula 

Buenos Aires, you seductive city—you had me at the first glass of Malbec and the first perfectly charred slice of beef. And yes, I’ll absolutely be back for more. 🍷🥩✨ A special thanks to @cazenove_and_loyd @beckyfenn87 for arranging it all!2 weeks ago via Instagram
@judyjoochef Instagram profile image🔥 The first-round battles continue on @foodnetwork’s Tournament of Champions VII.

@guyfieri returns with four more intense sudden-death matchups as @chefnininguyen faces off against @chef.joe.sasto, @chefkleeokc battles @chefadamgreenberg, and @chef_rescigno takes on Michelin-starred @cheftentori.

In the final showdown of the night, another mystery culinary icon is revealed to face qualifier winner @katsujitanabe.👀

Tune in Sunday, March 8 at 8pm ET.

Had so much fun judging alongside the amazing @chefantonia & @roccodispirito.

Thank you @rebeccavallance for my denim suit and @toryburch for my blouse. 🙏🙏❤️❤️

@FoodNetwork #TournamentOfChampions
@HBOMax @DiscoveryPlus3 weeks ago via Instagram
@judyjoochef Instagram profile imageMore from my South America adventure ✨ After Peru, we headed to Argentina and Brazil to finally see Iguazu Falls—a place I’ve been quietly (okay, obsessively) dreaming about for years. One of the New Seven Wonders of Nature, and the world’s largest waterfall system, Iguazu is made up of more than 275 cascades plunging up to 82 meters on the Argentina–Brazil border. And in rainy season? The water volume can swell to 7.5 times its usual flow—up to 3.4 million gallons every second. Translation: every other waterfall now feels like a kitchen tap.

Seeing Iguazu in person was jaw-dropping, humbling, and wildly emotional. Truly one of the most extraordinary natural sights I’ve ever experienced—and absolutely worthy of a prime spot on everyone’s bucket list. Do both sides if you can: Argentina immerses you inside the falls, while Brazil gives you sweeping panoramas—and private boat and helicopter tours you can’t do on the Argentine side.

We stayed at the exceptional Awasi Iguazú @awasiexperience (a longtime favorite since Patagonia, and yes—another Relais & Châteaux gem). Awasi’s bespoke approach is next level: your own private guide and vehicle, daily excursions tailored exactly to what you want, plus private after-hours access to the park and train to Devil’s Throat—meaning we experienced the falls without the crowds. Absolute magic.

Evenings were spent dining outdoors on an open terrace, listening to the jungle’s nightly symphony—birds, frogs, cicadas all chiming in. The food was fantastic, the atmosphere unforgettable, and I even spotted my very first toucan in the wild. Pure joy.

Huge thank you to Cazenove+Lloyd @cazenove_and_loyd for seamlessly handling every detail of the journey—and special gratitude to @beckyfenn87 for saving the day when our flights were canceled and rerouted with calm, grace, and superhero efficiency.

The music for this reel is from The Mission, filmed on location at the falls and starring Robert De Niro and Jeremy Irons. The score—by the legendary Ennio Morricone—has long been one of my favorites, and hearing it while standing before those falls felt perfectly, powerfully full-circle.
#judyjoo #travel #iguazu #bucketlisttravel1 month ago via Instagram
Loading