Hoddeok: Korean Sweet Pancakes

An elastic dough that turns crispy in hot oil. Inside, the sugar melts into a hot cinnamon-scented syrup that oozes out at the first bite.

• Prep time: 20 min
• Cook time: 15 min
• Difficulty: Medium
• Calories: 550
• Protein: 8 g
• Carbs: 81 g
• Fat: 20 g

Ingredients

• 200 g Wheat flour ( sifted )
• 50 g Rice flour ( for texture )
• 180 ml Mineral water ( lukewarm )
• 10 g Fresh baker's yeast ( crumbled )
• 1 tbsp White sugar
• 1 pinch Fleur de sel
• 80 g Brown sugar ( for the filling )
• 1 tsp Cinnamon powder
• 40 g Walnut kernel ( crushed )
• 50 ml Sunflower oil ( for frying )
• 50 g Glutinous rice flour

Instructions

1. Yeast activation

   In warm mineral water, dissolve the baker's yeast with the white sugar. Let it rest for 5 minutes until small bubbles appear on the surface.

2. Kneading the dough

   Mix the wheat flour, rice flour, and glutinous rice flour with a pinch of salt. Pour in the water-yeast mixture. The dough should be sticky and elastic; do not try to obtain a dry ball.

3. First rise

   Cover the bowl and let the dough double in size in a warm place. It should become very soft and full of air.

4. Filling preparation

   Coarsely crush the walnuts. Mix them with the brown sugar and ground cinnamon. This mixture will caramelize during cooking.

5. Shaping the discs

   Oil your hands to prevent the dough from sticking. Take a ball of dough, flatten it, place a spoonful of filling in the center, and close carefully.

6. Cooking and pressing

   Heat the oil in a pan. Place the balls, seam side down. When the bottom browns, flip and press firmly with a spatula to flatten into a pancake.

Chef's tips

• Keep your hands well-oiled, otherwise the dough will stick to your fingers and you won't be able to seal the discs.
• Don't press too hard immediately after flipping the pancake; wait 10 seconds for the dough to soften with the heat.

Storage

Keep for 2 days in the refrigerator. Reheat in a pan without fat to restore the crispiness.