Japanese Souffle Pancakes

Separate the eggs into yolks and whites

Whisk the egg yolks, milk, and vanilla in a bowl

Add flour, baking powder, and salt to the egg yolk mixture, mix well, and set aside

Using an electric hand mixer or stand mixer with whisk attachment, beat egg whites until frothy

Add sugar and continue to beat egg whites to stiff peaks

Set your skillet on low heat and add a small pat of butter, letting it melt while you prepare the batter

Combine about 1/3 of the stiff egg whites into the egg yolk mixture and fold in with a rubber spatula until homogenous

Add the rest of the egg whites and gently fold to combine, taking care not to overmix

Use a cookie scoop to place 4-5 scoops of batter spaced out in your warm skillet

Add a second round of scoops on top of your original 4 or 5

Carefully pour 1 tbsp of water into the skillet, avoiding the pancake batter

Quickly cover the skillet with a lid and cook

Remove lid and add an additional scoop of batter onto each pancake

Replace lid and continue cooking on low-medium heat

Uncover the skillet; if the bottom of the pancakes is not golden brown, increase heat and cook for another minute, watching carefully so they don't burn

When golden brown on the bottom, carefully flip over the pancakes

Sprinkle another tbsp of water into the skillet and cover

Cook until the bottom of the pancake is golden brown and the sides have cooked and are dry to the touch

Repeat the cooking process for the remaining batter (may take 1-2 more batches)

Serve pancakes immediately with toppings to your liking

Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature