Zenzai is a sweet Azuki red bean soup served with toasted Mochi. It’s a traditional Japanese treat often enjoyed as a cozy snack or dessert. While you can find Zenzai year-round at Japanese sweet shops, a warm bowl is especially comforting during the colder months.
Dango is a general name for small ball-shaped mochi dumplings. Usually the mochi itself is not sweetened, but toppings and sauces are. Dango are often skewered on bamboo sticks so they are easier (and more fun!) to eat. Dango are a more casual and everyday kind of traditional Japanese sweet (how elegant could it be…
An Pan is a Japanese sweet bread with Anko (sweet red bean paste) inside. It is an old-fashioned kind of bread, and one of the most popular snack breads of all time. An Pan was created in the late 19th century, and it became tremendously popular right away. Although people in Japan were not familiar…
Dorayaki, one of the most popular traditional Japanese sweets, has many not-so-traditional variations. Some come with whip cream, some with custard, and some with fruit. My new favorite has ice cream (and don’t forget the Anko!) Think of it like ice cream sandwiches here in America. I have to tell you, it’s truly addictive.
Dorayaki is one of the most popular Japanese confectioneries known as Wagashi. Anko (sweet red bean paste) is sandwiched between sweet and fluffy pancakes. It is a traditional Japanese sweet beloved by the old and young. In the Kansai region, Dorayaki is also called Mikasa, named after Mt. Mikasa in Nara Prefecture.Â
Anko, a sweet red bean paste, is an essential ingredient for Japanese traditional confectioneries, called Wagashi. It is a paste made with azuki red beans and sugar, and it’s used in many Japanese dishes and desserts such as pastries, cakes, mochi, and ice cream.