Sweet Potato Dessert is a simple baked sweet that uses sweet potatoes, sugar and butter. It is usually called just “Sweet Potato.” It has been around over 100 years in Japan, and, although it is a more old-fashioned dessert today, it is still a great homemade treat.
Mango Purin (pudding) is a mango-flavored cold jellied dessert, now quite popular in Japan. It is called Purin (or pudding), though it often doesn’t use eggs, and it’s not baked or steamed. It is made of gelatin and chilled. It has a creamy taste from milk and cream, and that may be the reason it’s…
Souffle Cheesecake is a popular cheesecake sold at western-style dessert shops in Japan. As you can guess from the name, it is a light and airy soufflé-like dessert as opposed to dense and thick American cheesecake. Soufflé Cheesecake is not overly sweet, as with other Japanese cakes, but it still has a good enough cheese…
Grapefruit Jelly in a cup made of fruit skin is a popular dessert during the hot summer in Japan. It is sweet and tart, refreshing, and also a very healthy treat that you can easily make at home. Making the cup out of grapefruit gives a special touch to this cold dessert, and can bring…
Kakigori (かき氷) is shaved ice with flavored syrup like strawberry, lemon, melon, and simple syrup (sugar syrup). It is very popular during the hot and humid summer in Japan, and there are a lot of pop up Kakigori stores appearing in the season. Strawberry Kakigori is one of the most favorite flavors of all time. …
Warabi Mochi is a wonderfully refreshing Japanese summer sweet with a cool, smooth, jelly-like texture. Unlike traditional mochi made from glutinous rice, Warabi Mochi is light and delicate, with a translucent appearance that makes it especially appealing on a hot summer day. Traditionally coated in nutty Kinako (roasted soybean flour) and sugar, it is an…
Matcha Pudding (抹茶プリン) is soft custard pudding flavored with Matcha powder. Pudding is not very Japanese, but just by adding Matcha flavor, it becomes a great ending for a Japanese meal.
Kakigori (かき氷) is Japanese shaved ice with flavored syrup. It is very popular during the hot and humid summer in Japan, and there are a lot of pop up Kakigori stores appearing in the season. Although you can get shaved ice here too, usually as a snow cone in the US, Kakigori is very different from…
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.
Coffee Jelly (コーヒーゼリー) is a cold jellied dessert made throughout Japan from black coffee and gelatin. As Coffee Jelly is not too sweet, although you can adjust the sweetness however you like, and rather light, it is a perfect after dinner dessert.