Haku Recipe

Combine dry ingredients

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and fine sea salt until evenly combined.

Whisk wet ingredients

In a separate bowl, whisk the whole milk, eggs, melted unsalted butter, and vanilla extract until smooth and slightly frothy.

Make the batter

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and gently fold with a spatula or whisk until just combined. Do not overmix; a few small lumps are fine. Let the batter rest for 5–10 minutes while you prepare the filling and heat the pan.

Prepare cream cheese filling

In a small bowl, beat the softened cream cheese with powdered sugar and lemon zest until smooth and spreadable. If it's too stiff, stir in 1–2 teaspoons of milk to loosen.

Cook pancakes (haku)

Heat a nonstick skillet or griddle over medium-low heat and add 1 teaspoon of the unsalted butter, swirling to coat. For each pancake, pour 1/4 cup of batter into the skillet. Immediately drop about 1 tablespoon of the cream cheese mixture in the center of the pancake and sprinkle 6–8 fresh blueberries on top of the batter. Cook until small bubbles form on the surface and the edges look set, about 2–3 minutes. Carefully flip and cook the second side 1–2 minutes more until golden and cooked through. Transfer to a warm plate and keep in a low oven (about 200°F / 95°C) while you cook the remaining pancakes, adding more butter to the pan as needed.

Assemble and finish

Stack pancakes on serving plates, drizzle each stack with about 1 tablespoon of maple syrup or honey, and scatter additional fresh blueberries on and around the pancakes.

Dust the pancakes lightly with powdered sugar, tuck mint leaves around the stack, and serve immediately while warm.