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. Korean food is so much more than trends. It’s about everyday life, care, and food that’s meant to be shared.

Kimchi isn’t something we eat once in a while…it’s on the table year-round, passed down through generations and made with intention.

I loved being part of this thoughtful piece exploring how Korean food is finding its place in the UK, not by competing with other cuisines, but by being understood on its own terms.

Grateful to be part of this exploration of Korean food and culture in the UK, in partnership with @ocadouk.

Thank you to @bbcnews and @jijiyoung.tv for telling this story so beautifully.

Read the full article via link in bio.

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@judyjoochef Instagram profile imageHoliday heat, fierce talent, and the Great 8 chefs battling for the Final Four…this episode had it all. 🎄🔥

I had so much fun judging Tournament of Champions: All-Star Christmas alongside host @guyfieri and fellow judges @jacquestorres & @conantnyc.

If you missed the episode last week, you can catch up on @FoodNetwork @HBOMax @DiscoveryPlus.

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@judyjoochef Instagram profile imageAd. An authentic Korean meal is never complete without banchan: the colorful side dishes that bring every feast to life. 🇰🇷✨

The Korean table is usually laid edge to edge with these small little plates…and, if you’re out to impress, the more the better! @ocadouk’s Korean aisle makes it so easy for you to get all the ingredients you need for your banchan, delivered straight to your door.

The key is balance and the “rule of five”: every meal should have a mix of five flavours, textures, and colours.

Here are some of the most common banchan you’ll find:
🥬 Kimchi — the must-have
🍚 Steamed short-grain rice
🍲 Soup (a staple of any Korean table)
🍳 Gyeran-jjim (fluffy egg souffle)
🌿 Fresh salads — scallion salad, green salad, crudités with ssamjang
🥒 Pickled veggies — radish, cucumber, lotus root & more
🥔 Korean potato salad (yes… it’s a thing!)
🐟 Grilled fish — croaker or mackerel are classics
🥞 Jeon — savoury pancakes
🥬 Seasoned vegetables — spinach, bean sprouts, etc.
🍖 Braised meats — soy-braised beef, and more
🐠 Dried fish & seafood

And if you’re eating barbecue, you’ll also find lettuce leaves (ssam) for wrapping and our barbecue sauce, ssamjang on the table. 

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@judyjoochef Instagram profile imageHappy Giving Tuesday! 💚🍐

Proud to be partnering with @subarashiikudamono and @CityHarvestNYC to help nourish New Yorkers today and throughout the holiday season. City Harvest rescues more than 86 million pounds of nutritious food each year and delivers it directly to families who need it most — an extraordinary mission I’m honored to support.

To help raise awareness, we shared boxes of Subarashii’s beautiful Asian Pears with chef friends, along with a small note about today’s campaign. This initiative will help Subarashii Kudamono nourish 2,300 New Yorkers for a day, a meaningful contribution to City Harvest’s work.

I’m endlessly grateful for this community, for your friendship, generosity, and the joy you bring to the culinary world.

Together, we nourish. Together, we give. 💚

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