Making Takoyaki with a Cake Pop Maker

I got a BabyCakes cake pop maker for Christmas last year from my sister. I kept it unopened on the floor of my room for like 3 months.

I cannot remember how, but the idea about making takoyaki crossed my mind. I don't have the right pan but I figured the cake pop maker could work! It looked almost like a takoyaki pan/grill anyways. I started searching up if it was possible and it was!

I found this video on Youtube.
I followed his method. You cook half a ball then mash them together! It's almost like a macaron takoyaki!

Here's the popular video I used as a guide from Cooking with Dog http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PHDmVhShE80!
I wasn't planning on making my own batter or sauce with dashi. It was easier to get takoyaki mix.

After work I went to a Japanese mini mart called Sunrise Mart to get all my ingredients. They didn't carry the actual mix but I found this instead. It's okonomiyaki mix, but it had a recipe for takoyaki on the side. I used 200g of mix, 550cc of water and one egg!

No english :(

Here's the ingredients I got. Okonomi sauce, Kenko mayonnaise, mix, bonito flakes, dried ebi, pickled ginger, seaweed flakes and a fresh octopus tentacle.

My total was around $26 dollars. Went back another day for a fresh octopus tentacle which was around $7. Oh and some leek.

Here's some prep pictures.

Mix, water, and one egg

I toasted some dried baby shrimp (just like Cooking with Dog)

All the prep work done and neat

 I cut up all the ingredients and crushed some dried toasted baby shrimps. Next up BabyCakes!

Looks similar to a takoyaki grill!

I greased the pan with some olive oil. The maker comes with this tiny pitchfork which was super useful.

I poured the batter to about 70-80% full. Then I dropped the tako bits in it followed by the leek, ginger and dried shrimp. I had no idea how long I was suppose to cook them for. I just used my intuition and I cooked them till the bottom was slightly cooked and removable from the hole.

I took out the half baked pieces and then refilled the pan with batter (around 60%) again. I placed the halves back on top of the new batter.

At first I was pretty discouraged since they looked really funny and wrinkly. I let them back for several minutes while constantly checking and flipping them around.

They started looking better and rounder. I kept waiting till they were nice and toasty looking.

FINAL RESULT

Tada! I tried to make it look more presentable and authentic. I made 3 batches that day. Each were better than the last! I still have more mix left. All I need is more tako bits. Tastes almost like Otafuku's oh ho ho!