A Guide to Making Authentic Japanese Desserts

If you’re looking for authentic Japanese desserts, these Japanese confectionery treats will have your sweet tooth addicted in no time. Ningyo-Yaki is a doll-shaped waffle cake filled with red bean paste. To make the traditional waffle batter, you’ll need baking powder, salt, flour, eggs, milk, honey, and oil. The red bean paste (Anko) requires steaming adzuki beans, blending them in a food processor, strain through a sieve, and mixing the mixture with brown sugar and salt over medium heat till it thickens considerably. All that’s left is pouring your batter into a doll-shaped waffle maker, adding a dollop of Anko, and letting the heat cook it. Very similar to this, Dorayaki is a fluffy honey-flavored pancake filled with sweet red bean paste. However, many variations of this traditional treat exist now, containing custard, matcha cream, coffee cream, fruits, and many other exciting ingredients.

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Daigaku Imo is another unconventional blend of ingredients you’d never expect to like. There is nothing like candied fruits. These are candied sweet-potato bites made by soaking sweet potatoes and frying them in a caramel sauce till they’re crispy and coated in a luscious sauce. Dango is a dessert made of chewy, bouncy dumplings served on skewers. They are slightly less sticky and stretchy than the texture of mochi, with the dough infused with ingredients like match powder, eggs, and red bean paste and the dumplings coated with a sweet soy sauce. Both of these dishes are typically enjoyed alongside tea.

Daifuku is basically mochi filled with Anko. To make the mochi, you’ll need to mix together glutinous rice flour, sugar, and water. This mixture is cooked using a steamer until the white mochi transforms to become almost translucent. Now, lay down some parchment paper and sprinkle generously with potato starch. Scoop the mochi mixture onto this surface, and let it cool before rolling it out to cover the entirety of the parchment paper. Lastly, refrigerate for 15 minutes, and use a cookie cutter to cut round circles out for your daifuku.