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.

 

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Social media

@judyjoochef Instagram profile imageAd. Crispy, golden, and packed with Seoul. 🍗🔥

@ocadouk just launched a Korean aisle with some of my favorite ingredients and I couldn’t be more excited!  🇰🇷 To mark this moment, I had to share my Korean Fried Chicken (or Dak Gangjeong) recipe. This dish is famous for its shatteringly thin, crispy crust and addictive sweet-spicy glaze. At my restaurant @SeoulBirdUK, it’s our signature.

Unlike Western-style fried chicken, this version uses a wet batter for that ultra-crisp, glossy coating. It’s this signature texture that’s made Korean Fried Chicken a global sensation. 

Then comes the magic: gochujang, Korea’s fermented chili paste made from chili flakes, soybeans, and glutinous rice—the secret to its deep, savory heat. 🤫

Serves 4

Ingredients:
900g boneless skin-on chicken thighs (or skinless), cut into 2.5cm pieces
125g potato starch
1.5–2.6l vegetable or other neutral oil

For the Batter Mix
90g potato starch
30g plain lour
2½ tsp onion powder
2½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp baking powder
1 tbsp sea or kosher salt

For the Spicy Chicken Sauce
2 tbsp gochujang (Korean chilli paste)
2 tbsp runny honey, to taste
65ml soy sauce
2 tbsp light brown sugar
1 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp grated garlic
1 tbsp roasted sesame oil

To Serve
1 spring onion, thinly sliced
1 red chilli, thinly sliced

Watch the video for the method and ask any questions in the comments 💜

 ✨ Full recipe in my book K-Quick (which you can also get on Ocado!)

 #KQuick #KoreanFood #Gochujang #SeoulfulEats #KoreanFriedChicken #Chimaek10 hours ago via Instagram
@judyjoochef Instagram profile imageUkrainian food is having a London moment…and Tatar Bunar in Shoreditch is leading the way. 🇺🇦

From delicate seabass carpaccio and soulful fish yushka to golden lamb cheburek and creamy oxtail banush, every dish feels like a warm embrace.

Co-owner and Chef @alexcooperua brings the heart of southern Ukraine to the city — generous plates, bold flavors, and a quiet kind of elegance.  And, you could feel co-owner Anna Andriienko’s love, care, and passion in the room @annaadriienko.  She also hand curated all of the fun ceramics and furniture from Ukraine.  

The room is gorgeous, rustic, yet modern…  and the terrace is quite romantic. 

The pickled tomatoes alone are worth the visit. 🍅✨

Honest food, made with soul.

Another unforgettable bite in London’s ever-evolving food scene. 🍷

@frasercomms 
#JudyJoo #JudyJooChef #TatarBunar #LondonEats #UkrainianCuisine #ComfortFood #GlobalFlavors #WomenInFood #FoodThatBrokeTheInternet #ChefTok #FoodTok #HiddenGems #LondonRestaurants #UkrainianFood2 days ago via Instagram
@judyjoochef Instagram profile imageWhat if I told you…I eat out a lot as a chef. 👩🏻‍🍳

And @legado_ldn is my new favorite Spanish restaurant in London. 🇪🇸

From @nieves_barragan1 , the Michelin-starred chef behind Sabor, Legado (meaning legacy) celebrates Spain’s regional flavors with heart, soul, and precision.

We kicked things off with their signature three-sip serves, each inspired by a different region, before diving into Quisquillas de Cádiz — delicate blue-belly prawns dressed in citrus, sesame, and coriander olive oil.

Then came the piquillo goat’s cheese tempura…light, crispy, creamy…truly addictive!

The showstopper? Segovian suckling pig. Golden crackling, tender meat, and so soft it’s carved tableside with a plate.

Rounded out with chicory with anchovy and Manchego, tomato with bottarga, and prawn-stuffed squid in ink sauce.

And to finish, the Pastel Vasco with sour cherry jam…buttery, flaky, and just tart enough to keep you wanting one more bite. 🍒

@legado_ldn @nieves_barragan1 thank you so much for the incredible meal! Can’t wait to see what’s next on the menu. ❤️👩🏻‍🍳

📍 Legado | Shoreditch, London

@frasercomms 
#JudyJoo #JudyJooChef #LegadoLondon #ChefNievesBarragan #SaborLondon #SpanishFood #LondonRestaurants #MichelinStarChef #FoodieLondon #ChefLife #RestaurantReel #FoodieFinds #SpanishCuisine #WhereToEatInLondon #WomenInFood6 days ago via Instagram
@judyjoochef Instagram profile imageCarbone’s Spicy Rigatoni is the pasta that broke the internet. 🍝🔥

Creamy, fiery, and unapologetically indulgent. The kind of pasta everyone tried to recreate at home.

And when Gigi Hadid shared her own version during lockdown? Game over. The world fell even harder for that glossy vodka sauce. 

My twist? A spoonful of gochujang for depth, fish sauce for umami, and a splash of soy sauce for that extra savory edge. 

It’s Carbone’s iconic rigatoni…with a Seoulful kick.

Creamy, spicy, umami-packed…pure comfort food that crosses continents.

Tag your pasta-obsessed friend 👇

Did you know:  Rigatoni means “ridged or lined” in Italian. These lines help the sauce cling to the paste ensuring each bite is full of flavor!

Drop a “🔥” for the recipe!

💄 @jonesroadbeauty & @justbobbidotcom
Plates: @kwangjuyo_official

#JudyJoo #JudyJooChef #KViralKitchen #CarboneSpicyRigatoni #KoreanTwist #KoreanFood #FoodThatBrokeTheInternet #ViralEats #ComfortFood #PastaTok #VodkaPasta #Carbone #GigiHadidPasta #SeoulfulEats #KoreanFusion #FoodTok #ChefTok #FoodieLife #ChefLife #Gochujang #Umami #Korea #Korean #Seoulplaza1 week ago via Instagram
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