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 Today, I’d like to introduce a sweet that I’ve been absolutely hooked on lately: Dorayaki. That said, the one I'm talking about is a modern take that looks quite different from the traditional version. Currently, 7-Eleven is running an amazing "50% Extra" campaign on several of their products.

From that campaign, I want to showcase the "50% Extra Cream Dorayaki" today. The picture shows my son eating it—as someone with a sweet tooth, he seemed absolutely thrilled and thoroughly enjoyed devouring it!

Nowadays, Dorayaki is famously depicted as the favorite food of the globally popular Japanese anime character, Doraemon. It is highly recognized worldwide as "Doraemon's favorite food" and has become quite popular among foreign tourists as well.

(Image Resource https://post.tv-asahi.co.jp/post-194847/images/194853/)
Anime Doraemon : SHIN-EI ANIMATION

But how is a traditional Dorayaki actually made? The original form consists of two round, castella-like pancakes—made from flour, eggs, sugar, mirin, and honey—sandwiching a filling of sweet azuki bean paste (anko). Naturally, there was no cream in the traditional version. The addition of honey is what gives the pancakes their moist texture and beautiful golden-brown color.

While the exact origin of the name remains a bit unclear, the most prominent theory is that its shape resembles a percussion instrument called a "dora" (gong). There is also a more romantic legend: during the Heian period, a famous warrior named Musashibo Benkei left his gong behind at a farmer's house after they treated his injuries. The farmer then used that gong as an iron griddle to bake sweets, and that’s how it all began.

The current style of sandwiching the red bean paste between two pancakes actually started in the Taisho period (early 1900s). Up until the Edo period, Dorayaki was made by folding a single pancake around the paste, much like a crepe or an omelet. It is said that the modern two-layer shape was invented by "Usagiya," a long-established traditional sweet shop in Ueno, Tokyo.

(Usagiya from Tabelog https://tabelog.com/tokyo/A1302/A130202/13003250/)

It truly is a wonderful sweet that lets you taste the essence of Japan. It’s a deep, satisfying treat that pairs perfectly with green tea, coffee, or even milk. If you happen to spot one at 7-Eleven today, please give it a try! However, it is quite sweet, so I highly recommend pairing it with a strong, bitter green tea!