Written by Oriana Cuenca
Photos by Kimberly Reyes
When Filipinos think of pancakes, an image of a flat dense disk usually come to mind. The good old American version of a pancake, complete with butter and syrup, has long been a hearty and filling breakfast option in the metro.
For a heavenly new alternative, Puffy’s has brought a new type of pancake to The Block: The souffle pancake. Lighter and fluffier, the souffle pancake is far from the typical. Made with the same butter, eggs, and flour as a regular pancake, the souffle version adds more egg whites and meringue to the mix, and the result is a soft and jiggly stack of pancakes that tower over the traditional breakfast staple (both literally and metaphorically).
Souffle pancakes may have a name that comes straight out of a French bakery, but this pancake was first made on skillets right here in Asia. Japan was one of the first to come up with souffle pancakes, but other Asian countries have fallen in love with the desert and have added their own spin to it. Taiwan, the birthplace of Puffy’s, brought its love for milk tea to the table when it made its menu.
Puffy’s Milk Tea Souffle pancakes taste every bit like the drink that inspired it. Two souffle pancakes are stacked and a generous serving of milk tea sauce is poured on top. Brown sugar sauce is drizzled all over the dessert, and to top it off, a generous serving of pearls is added of course. If you’ve ever tasted the milk tea chocolates of Japan and Taiwan, imagine these sweet milky treats melted into a sauce and you’ll know what it’s like to bite into one of these Milk Tea Souffle Pancakes.
If you just can’t get enough milk tea, Puffy’s also has the Milky Marble. If this combo doesn’t satisfy your milk tea cravings then nothing will.
For an even sweeter treat, try out Puffy’s best selling Creme Brulee Souffle Pancakes. The soft souffle pancakes covered in creme brulee’s rich custard still tastes light and creamy on the palette. The burnt sugar disk on top is an entirely different treat. Crack the disk and get a mouthful of creamy custard cake with the added goodness of a sweet crunch from the disk. This is a pancake that tastes like it came straight from the ramekin.
Fancy flavors aside, Puffy’s Original Souffle Pancake is for those who want the wonderful bounce and texture of a souffle pancake without the added sweetness. (But if you do want your pancakes a little sweeter, try adding ice cream on the side. A warm pancake with a dollop of cool ice cream is a match made in dessert heaven).
Puffy’s obviously has A+ soufflé pancakes, but their menu also has an unexpected hidden gem – their carbonated drinks. Drinks aren’t what you’d expect to get at a pancake shop, but these carbonated drinks are worthy of buzz all on their own.
Carbonated drinks get a bad reputation in the Philippines for being overly sweet and unhealthy, but Puffy’s carbonated fruit and tea line up is every bit as satisfying and fun as the typical cola. The drinks have light and refreshing flavors that pair perfectly well with the sweeter and more decadent toppings of the soufflé pancakes. Their Lychee (Left) and Honey Peach (Right) are made in-store with fruit extracts, Taiwanese tea leaves, and an in-store carbonating machine to enhance the flavor and add fizz into the drink.
Whether you have them for breakfast or dessert, Puffy’s souffle pancakes are a fun and fluffy treat that give the traditionally flat pancake a run for its money. Stop by the block at SM North Edsa, and you’ll never look at a regular pancake the same way again.
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Puffy’s Soufflé Pancake Cafe
4th Floor, The Block, SM City North EDSA, Bago Bantay, Quezon City
Facebook: Puffy’s Souffle Pancake Cafe (@puffyscafeph)
