Hotteok

Name: Hotteok
Prep time: 180 min
Cook time: 10 min
Yield: 8 to 10 servings
Cuisine: Korean Menu
Ingredients: Warm Water — 310 ml; Sugar — 25 g; Active Dry Yeast — 2 tsp; All-Purpose Flour — 360 g; Sweet Rice Flour — 82 g; Neutral Oil — 12 g; Salt — 8 g; Roasted Sesame Seeds — 35 g; Roasted Nuts — 35 g; Organic Cane Sugar — 170 g; Cinnamon — 2 tsp; Salt — 1 pinch

This classic Korean sweet pancake, or Hotteok, is a delightful street food treat consisting of a soft, chewy yeast-leavened dough stuffed with a rich filling of cinnamon, brown sugar, and toasted nuts. Pan-fried until the exterior reaches a perfectly crispy, golden-brown finish, it offers a warm, gooey interior that is deeply comforting and satisfyingly sweet.

Cuisines

Cooking Instructions

Preparation: 3 hours
Cooking: 10 minutes

Servings: 8 to 10

Notes:

The inclusion of sweet rice flour is essential for achieving the signature chewy, glutinous texture of authentic Hotteok, while also contributing to that desirable crispy exterior when fried.

For better flavour development and an improved dough texture, try a long, slow bulk fermentation by leaving the dough in the refrigerator overnight rather than just on the counter.

Use a generous amount of neutral oil to shallow-fry the pancakes; the oil needs to be hot enough to sizzle immediately upon contact, ensuring a crispy crust rather than an oily, soggy finish.

When pressing the dough balls in the pan, be gentle to avoid creating tears, which can cause the cinnamon-sugar filling to leak out and burn in the hot oil.

If you have leftover dough, it can be kept covered in the refrigerator for up to two days, allowing you to fry fresh, warm pancakes whenever the craving hits.

Activate Yeast
Combine warm water, sugar, and active dry yeast in a measuring cup, stirring until dissolved, then leave until the mixture becomes foamy and activated.

Prepare Dough
Mix all-purpose flour and sweet rice flour in a large bowl, add the activated yeast mixture, oil, and salt, then stir with a spoon until a sticky dough forms.

Ferment
Cover the dough with plastic wrap and set it aside in a warm place for 3 hours, or ferment in the refrigerator overnight for superior flavour.

Prepare Filling
Process the roasted sesame seeds and roasted nuts into a crumb-like texture, then combine with organic cane sugar, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt.

Shape and Fry
Oil your hands, take a portion of dough, flatten it, scoop the filling into the centre, pinch the edges to seal completely, and place seam-side down in a hot, oiled pan.

Flatten and Cook
Press each dough ball flat with a pancake press or spatula, fry until golden brown on one side, then flip carefully and cook until the second side is equally crispy and golden.