Delicate pancakes filled with whipped cream and the king of fruits, durian. This is a popular take on the crowd-favorite mango pancake!
What are cream pancakes?
Cream pancakes are a treat originating in Hong Kong, traditionally filled with mango. Mango pancakes are a staple at yum cha and loved all around the world. There are a couple of variations on the theme and durian is one of them!
Durian has a very polarising taste and you either love it or hate it. These pancakes are just that. If you love durian these will be a slice of heaven, and if you aren’t a fan I think you might want to steer away from these.
If you haven’t tried durian before, this is the perfect gateway. The cream mellows out the flavor and allows the sweet and cream durian flavor to shine.
Ingredients
Pancake Batter
- Fresh milk: Whole milk makes crepes that are more tender, but you can use skim or non-fat milk if that’s what you have on hand.
- All-purpose flour: Regular flour works great in crepes, if you want a super tender crepe you can use cake flour instead.
- Cornstarch: Cornstarch helps to give the crepes a tender texture, preventing them from getting too rubbery
- Granulated sugar: Sugar gives the crepes a little sweetness.
- Eggs: Eggs make up a large part of the crepes structure.
- Unsalted butter: Melted butter in the crepe batter makes the crepes more tender and flavourful
- Vegetable oil: Oil is needed to grease the pan, preventing the crepes from sticking too much
- Green food coloring: This is optional, but I like to tint the pancakes green to match the durian on the inside.
Filling
- Heavy cream: Heavy whipping cream aka thickened cream is the best kind of cream to use as it is slightly thicker and will whip up the perfect consistency for these pancakes.
- Granulated sugar: Sugar is needed to sweeten the cream, feel free to increase or decrease this according to your taste preference
- Durian fruit: You can use frozen or fresh durian for this. Fresh durian can be hard to find in different parts of the world, so frozen will work fine if you can’t find any.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do these last?
These will last up to 3 days when stored in an airtight container in the fridge. Keep in mind that if you store these for too long the pancake will start to split.
Make sure you keep them stored in the fridge as they are filled with whipped cream and will melt if left out at room temperature for too long.
Can I change the fruit up?
Of course! While the base recipe for this is with durian it works with so many other fruits. A couple of examples include the classic mango, or even strawberry, kiwi, and peaches!
Why are my pancakes splitting?
There are a couple of reasons why your pancakes might be splitting:
- The pancakes were rolled too tight
- Too much cream was used
- The pancakes had been stored for too long, this causes them to split over time
Why are my pancakes so thick?
The main reason behind thick pancakes is how much batter is used to make them. I always measure out my batter before pouring it into the pan. This ensures that every crepe is the same thickness.
When you pour the batter into the pan make sure you work quickly to tilt the pan, spreading the batter as evenly as possible in the shortest amount of time. This prevents parts of your pancake from being thicker than others.
Let’s Get Cooking
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Durian Cream Pancakes
Delicate pancakes filled with whipped cream and the king of fruits, durian. This is a popular take on the crowd favorite mango pancake!
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 12 Pancakes 1x
- Category: Crepe
- Method: Easy
- Cuisine: Cantonese
Ingredients
Pancake Batter
- 240ml Whole milk (1 cup)
- 48g All purpose flour (1/3 cup 1 tbsp)
- 30g Cornstarch (1/4 cup)
- 25g Granulated sugar (2 tbsp)
- 3 Large eggs
- 15g Unsalted butter (1 tbsp)
- 1–2 drops Green food coloring
- Vegetable oil, for greasing
Filling
- 600ml Heavy cream (2 1/2 cups)
- 150g Granulated sugar (3/4 cup)
- 3–4 Durian pods, fresh or frozen
Instructions
Pancake Batter
- Combine the milk, flour, cornstarch, sugar, eggs, butter, and green food coloring in a blender and pulse until smooth
- Pour the batter through a fine-meshed sieve and set aside
- Grease a medium-sized frypan with vegetable oil (I used a 9.5 inch/24 cm non-stick pan) and heat it over low heat
- Add a 1/4 cup of the batter to the pan and swirl to create an even layer, heat for 2-3 minutes, or until the surface becomes matter, and remove from the pan (no need to flip the pancakes)
- Repeat with the remaining batter and allow them to cool completely on a cooling rack
Filling
- Combine the cream, sugar and vanilla in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment and whisk until it reaches stiff peaks
Assembly
- Remove the seeds from the durian pods and divide them into 12 equal portions
- Place a pancake, smooth side down on your work surface, and spoon 1/4 cup whipped cream into the center
- Top with a portion of durian and cover with another spoonful of cream
- Fold two sides of the pancake in and roll from the bottom up to form a pancake pillow shape
- Place the pancakes in an airtight container in the fridge for 1 hour to set, then enjoy!
