Taiyaki

Most of the time if I hit down to Takashimaya, I will buy some Taiyaki from Mr. Obanyaki located at basement 2. So far I think is the best taiyaki I have try among other store having selling too but not as tasty as their. The filling is generous and the price is definitely reasonable and affordable.

I'm so curious to make my own Taiyaki too after I saw some blogger post some home make using the Taiyaki mold but sadly I can't find any in Singapore so I went to taobao and bought one. After I received my new toys, I went google and search for recipe. The only recipe I found is from this popular youtube video name cookingwithdog.
Recipe with video guide: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HD7JjeupVt0&feature=c4-overview-vl&list=PLAA05E501B9175B11

I try the recipe given and follow exactly the ingredients stated, the Taiyaki taste slightly crisp and nice when it is fresh and hot when it's done but it will turn hard and masticate when is cool off. I throw the rest into the bin because I doubt nobody in my family will help to clear.

I try the second time again and modify the recipe myself and yet I get the same result again, a tough and hard Taiyaki. After that I gave up and keep the mold for months without using it because I can't find any good Taiyaki recipe. For what I know, pancake recipe can be use for this Taiyaki too.

I happen to found a book name called 街头热卖甜点完整配方 at the Clementi National Library. In the book contain the top 5 famous street dessert - Imagawayaki (車輪餅), Eggy cake (雞蛋糕), Eggy shape waffle(雞蛋仔), Dorayaki (銅鑼燒) and Taiyaki (鯛魚燒). Without hesitate I borrow this book back home happily.

I try the taiyaki recipe and finally I manage to dish up a decent of Taiyaki. The taiyaki is so spongy, fragrant and most importantly it does not turn hard when it is cold. It still taste soft and delicious the next day. I'm so surprise with the result of this recipe. Now I have no excuse to keep the mold quietly. =p

I haven't try the other recipe as I don't have the mold. The next one I would like to try will be 雞蛋仔 after I manage to get the mold on hand first.

Is not easy to get a nice and good taiyaki shape because the mold I bought is not the electric type, is a portable mold that need to cook under the stove and controlling the fire is quite a challenging task. I was sweating away while standing in front of the stove to make sure taiyaki is not burn. I try and did my best to make the appearance look like the commercial made. Hahaha!

Recipe source from a book: 街头热卖甜点完整配方 
Can be bought online at: http://www.books.com.tw/exep/prod/booksfile.php?item=0010437041

Ingredients A:
- 200gm eggs
- 100gm sugar

Ingredients B:
- 100gm cake flour
- 40gm potato starch
- 4gm baking powder

Ingredients C:
- 50gm vegetable oil

Ingredients D (Filling of your choice):
- Red bean paste / Azuki bean paste
- Chocolate / Nutella
- Kaya / Jam

Method:

1. Sift all the ingredients B in a bowl.
2. Using a electric hand mixer and whisk the egg in a bowl, add the sugar gradually and whisk till batter turn pale and light colour.
3. Add in the flour mixture into step 2 and mix with a spatula. Follow by the oil.
4. Let the batter rest for 30 minute.
5. After 30 min, heat up the mold under the stove in low-medium heat. Brush a thin layer of oil and clean away the excess oil from the mold using kitchen towel paper (this is to prevent the surface of the cake will have a patch of uneven colour tone look). *It's okay to leave the oil without wipping away if you don't mind of the uneven taiyaki colour tone look.  
6. Pour the batter on the mold, put the desired filling on the batter and let it cook until small bubbles start to appear, pour another layer of batter on top of the fillings and cover the mold.
7. Flip the mold over the other side and let it cook for about 3 min. Open up the handlers and have a peek of the taiyaki to check if is cook. Cook until taiyaki turn slightly brown.
8. Remove from the mold and serve it while is still hot / warm.