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 imageLet’s sip our way through K-Viral Kitchen — this one’s a certified Seoul college campus legend. 🍇🍶💥

The name started as a bit of a tongue-twister: Bokbunja-ju (black raspberry wine) + Soju (Korea’s firewater) + Cider (Korean lemon-lime soda aka Chilsung Cider by Lotte). Put it all together and you get Bok-soju-“sa” (for cider). But after a few rounds — and a little campus slang — it got shortened to the snappier Bok-so-sa.

Bok-so-sa is a fizzy, fruity soju soda bomb that first went viral in a tiny Chungmuro pub, where the walls are lined with empty Bokbunja wine labels. 

One bottle, one label — and now the whole place is covered in memories.

Made with Bokbunja-ju (Korean black raspberry wine), it’s bold, bubbly, and way too easy to drink. Don’t let the fizz fool you — this one sneaks up fast.

Here’s the mix:
 🍇 1 bottle Bokbunja-ju (Korean black raspberry wine)
 🍶 ½ bottle plain soju @jinro_global @jinro.uk
 🥤 500ml Sprite (or sparkling lemonade) @sprite
 ✨ Optional add-ins: fresh berries, lemon slices, mint — for that extra flex

Stir gently (never shake — you’ll lose the sparkle) and serve chilled. Bonus points if you peel the label and stick it on the wall — it’s tradition!

📍 Ingredients via @koreafoodsuk 
 💄 Glam by @jonesroadbeauty & @justbobbidotcom 
 👩🏻‍🍳 Pro tip: Use chilled bottles for max fizz + ruby-red sparkle.

 📌 Save this for your next party trick
 👯‍♀️ Tag your drinking crew — this one’s made for sharing

#KviralKitchen #BokSoSa #SojuBomb #KoreanCocktail #BlackRaspberryWine #BokbunjaJu #SojuSpritz #SeoulNightlife #EasyCocktails #DrinkTok #JudyJoo #JudyJooChef #KBarCulture #ChungmuroClassic #DrinksThatBrokeTheInternet #PartyDrinks #KoreanBarHack #FruityFizz #SojuSzn #WomenInFood #KRecipeReel13 hours ago via Instagram
@judyjoochef Instagram profile imageEvery stall has a story — and every face has fed a city. 🥬🌶️🐟

For me, Korean markets have always been the heartbeat of the cuisine. Everywhere you look, there’s movement and life: women neatly packing bundles of vegetables, bottling golden sesame oil, and scooping out rich gochujang and doenjang. A few steps away, fruit sellers stack seasonal peaches and vibrant melons beside piles of fresh greens. Down the row, fishmongers expertly fillet the day’s catch, while others build mountains of fiery red chilis — and sometimes, you’ll even spot a vendor catching a quick nap between customers.

After the Korean War, women known as ajummas (아줌마) became the backbone of these markets. They weren’t just selling food — they were feeding families, supporting communities, and keeping traditions alive during some of the country’s hardest years. Alongside them, men worked as butchers, fishermen, and produce sellers — roles often passed down through families, keeping skills alive from one generation to the next.

Even now, in the age of supermarkets and delivery apps, these markets endure. People come not just for the freshest fish or the ripest fruit — but for the trust, the stories, and the familiar faces that keep them coming back.

That, to me, is the true magic of Korea’s markets: the people who bring them to life every single day. ❤️

@visitkorea.uk 🇰🇷
#JudyJoo #JudyJooChef #KoreanFood #TasteOfKorea #KoreanCulture #KoreaTravel #FacesOfTheMarket #MarketLife #StreetFood #WomenInFood #ChefsOfInstagram #AsianFoodLover #FoodieReels #SeoulEats #VisitKorea #SeoulMarket #KoreanCuisine #EatTheWorld #FoodieAdventures #GlobalFoodie5 days ago via Instagram
@judyjoochef Instagram profile imagePart of my K-Quick Recipe Series — quick, bold Korean dishes from my newest cookbook!

Zingy. Crunchy. Instant gratification kimchi 🥬💫

This fresh kimchi is bright and bold — no fermentation time required. A perfect sidekick to your BBQ lineup or banchan spread. 

Make it once, crave it every day.

My mom used to whip up this vibrant little number every sweltering summer. I can still picture her—elbow-deep in a giant blue plastic tub, wearing those signature Korean hot-pink rubber gloves, tossing cabbage like a pro. This salad packs a punch that could wake up even the laziest heatwave afternoon. 

Find the recipe below — perfect for your next BBQ 🥬

💡: @samsunguk 
 🛒: @koreafoodsuk 
 📚: K-Quick — From my latest cookbook, K-Quick — link in bio if you want the full collection!

#AD

@quartobooksuk @quartobooksus @whitelionpublishing
#JudyJoo #JudyJooChef #KQuick #KoreanRecipes #KoreanSoulFood #SamsungUK #SamsungKitchen #KoreanCooking #Korea #Seoulplaza #QuickKimchi #Geotjeori #CabbageSalad #Kimchi #FreshKimchi

Fresh Cabbage Kimchi Salad (Baechu Geotjeori)

Ingredients (Serves 2–3):
• 1kg (2lb) baechu (Chinese leaf/Napa cabbage)
• 1 tbsp coarse sea or kosher salt
• 25g (¼ cup) gochugaru (Korean chilli flakes)
• 1 tbsp caster sugar
• 1 tbsp saeu-jeot (salted shrimp), or to taste 
• 1 tbsp fish sauce, or to taste 
• 1 tbsp grated garlic
• ½ brown onion, thinly sliced (5mm / ¼in)
• 3 spring onions, halved lengthwise & cut into 5cm (2in) pieces
To Serve:
• Drizzle of roasted sesame oil (optional)

Method:
1️⃣ Trim the base of the cabbage, wash thoroughly, discard wilted leaves, and cut into ~5cm (2in) pieces.
2️⃣ Place cabbage in a colander over a bowl. Toss with salt and let sit 10 min.
3️⃣ Meanwhile, in a separate bowl, mix gochugaru, sugar, saeu-jeot, fish sauce, and garlic.
4️⃣ After 10 min, drain any liquid from the cabbage.
5️⃣ Add the sauce mixture, onion, and spring onions. Toss well.
6️⃣ Drizzle with sesame oil (if using) and serve immediately.6 days ago via Instagram
@judyjoochef Instagram profile imageRolling into K-Viral Kitchen with a protein packed glow-up: Chamchi (Tuna) Keto-Gimbap @judyjoochef style 🥢💛 

No rice, no problem — this keto-friendly roll swaps steamed rice for silky egg crepe (jidan), and still delivers all the flavor of a classic gimbap — a genius hack that’s gone viral in Korea.  

Here’s what’s inside:

🍳 Paper-thin egg strips
 🥒 Salted fresh cucumber + sautéed sweet carrot
 🐟 Creamy tuna mayo 
 🥬 Pickled tangy radish + herby perilla leaves (if you’ve got it!)
 🌿 Wrapped in seaweed and brushed with nutty sesame oil for that glossy finish

Low-carb, big flavor. A lunchbox hero turned meal-prep MVP. 

📍 Ingredients via @koreafoodsuk 
 💄 Glam by @jonesroadbeauty & @justbobbidotcom 
 👩🏻‍🍳 Pro tip: Oil your knife for that picture-perfect slice.

💬 Comment “KETO” and I’ll DM you the recipe!
 📌 Save this for your next lunch idea
 👯‍♀️ Tag a friend who’s always on the clean-eating grind 

#KviralKitchen #KetoGimbap #ChamchiGimbap #LowCarbEats #KoreanFoodRemix #TunaMayoRoll #RiceFreeGimbap #HealthyKoreanFood #EasyKoreanRecipe #MealPrepGoals #EggCrepeRolls #DishesThatBrokeTheInternet #JudyJoo #JudyJooChef #QuickHealthyMeals #GimbapGlowUp #savethisrecipe2 weeks ago via Instagram
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