How to Make Pusheen Dango 胖吉貓糰子

Recently, I’ve fallen in love with Dango 糰子.  Dango is a type of Japanese Wagashi 和菓子.  What are Wagashi?  They are traditional Japanese confections that are usually made of mochi and served with tea.  They could be elaborated with designs and fillings or as simple as these sesame dango, which are slightly sweetened but not filled.  Do you like these Pusheen dangos?  Aren’t they the most kawaii treats you’ve seen lately?   If you haven’t seen my Bunny Dango yet, you should click here to check them out and let me know which one you like better.



My Baby Girls and some of her friends are crazy about Pusheen lately!  I don't blame them!  This chubby little kitten is certainly super adorable!  If you’re not familiar with this cute Japanese Character, you can check out her own website here!



My version of dango are made with just a few simple ingredients.  I don’t use water to mix the dough but only used the moisture from the silken tofu.  The tofu not only added a hint of flavor to these dango, but also more nutritious.  It keeps the dango dough soft and smooth and quite easy to handle.  To achieve the grey color of Pusheen, I added some black sesame powder to the dango dough.  You can taste the sesame but not too strong.  Just keep in mind that if you add more sesame powder, the end product might turn out even darker.  As you can see, they do darken quite a bit after they’re cooked.  



To maintain the gorgeous figure of Pusheen, she has to consume quite a bit of yummy food every day!  Apparently, doughnuts are one of her favorites as you can see from the many pictures that she always seems to be holding one wherever she goes!  



These sesame Pusheen Dangos are delicious as the way they are, but you can also put them on other dessert as an edible decoration.  I made these strawberry pudding dessert cups with Pusheen Dango on top for a good friend’s daughter’s birthday party because Pusheen was the theme! 




This recipe is quite fun and easy to make and I hope you’ll give it a try soon!  Check out the list below for all the ingredients and special tools that I used for this recipe.  Stay tuned for more fun and yummy recipe soon!


Tools and Ingredients Used:
Edible Color Markers (Click here for more information)
Skimmer Strainer (Click here for more information)
Glutenous Rice Flour (Click here for more information)
Measuring Cups Set (Click here for more information)
Food Decorating Tongs/Tweezers (Click here for more information)
Bamboo Picks (Click here for more information)
Black Sesame Powder (Click here for more information)
Doughnut Shape Cereal (Click here for more information)
White Chocolate chips (Click here for more information)
Red Candy Melt (Click here for more information)
Wilton Rainbow Nonpareils (Click here for more information)
Powdered Sugar (Click here for more information)
Parchment Paper (Click here for more information)



Disclosure: uTry.it is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

Strawberry Matcha Daifuku Mochi 草莓抹茶大福

This Sunday is Mother’s Day!  How do you celebrate?  I know I’ll be spending time with my family, and I'll likely make some homemade cake and treats as well!  And if you haven’t figured out what to make yet, maybe try this Strawberry Matcha Daifuku Mochi 草莓抹茶大福 recipe!  After all, we are in the strawberry season right now.



Daifuku Mochi or Daifuku, is a Japanese confection (Wagashi 和菓子) consists of a small round mochi (glutinous rice cake) stuffed with sweet filling.  The sweetened red bean paste made from azuki beans is usually a common filling to use.  I’ve shared a homemade recipe of the red bean paste in the past and I’ll list it at the end of the post .  Otherwise, it’s widely available in most Asian supermarkets.   Since it’s the peak season for strawberries now, I can’t help but to incorporate the sweet and juicy strawberries as part of my Daifuku fillings.



In my version of Daifuku, I covered the refreshing strawberry with a layer of sweetened white bean paste, which has a milder flavor compared to the red bean paste.  It’s all encased in a thin layer of earthy match mochi skin for a contrast of colors and flavors.



As you might have noticed, I also topped the Daifuku with edible gold star sprinkles for a whimsical touch.  I’ll link the ingredients used at the end of the post for your reference.  Are these Strawberry Matcha Daifuku gorgeous?  They tasted just as delicious as they look!  I hope you enjoyed today’s blog post and recipe.  I want to wish you a wonderful celebration this weekend and Happy Mother’s Day to all the Moms out there!



 

Sakura Raindrop Cake ( 櫻花水信玄餅)

Have you ever tried the Raindrop Cake, which is definitely the latest trendy dessert?  It’s a very popular dessert in Japan and was recently introduced to the Western world.  Technically, the Raindrop Cake isn’t really a “cake” per se.  There’s no batter and no baking involved!  A Raindrop Cake is a dessert made from water and agar agar powder (a vegan substitute of gelatin powder, obtained from algae).  Traditionally, it is served with black sugar syrup called Kuromitsu and a roasted soy flour called Kinako.  (Please reference my video above.)



This Raindrop Cake is a chilled dessert that is super dreamy and gorgeous.  Each bite simply melts in your mouth, like swallowing raindrops.  Maybe that’s where the name came from.  Or maybe it got its name from its appearance because the cake itself looks like a gigantic raindrop landed on the plate! 



Of course, I can’t just stop at the traditional Raindrop Cake.  I tested out the recipe with the traditional plain one.  Then, I further transformed this gorgeous and whimsical treat with the addition of my favorite Japanese ingredient, Pickled Sakura (cherry blossom).  To elevate it to the next level, I added a few freckles of edible gold leaf.  Normally, a piece of the traditional Raindrop Cake costs $8 USD (in NYC).  But when you can make it at home, it only costs a fraction of the price and you can splurge on other luxury ingredients such as gold leaf and sakura!       



As I mentioned earlier, this dessert is served with black sugar syrup and soy bean flour.  They are the perfect company to this dessert.  As the cake itself is really mild, the Black Sugar Syrup adds the perfect sweetness and earthiness while the Soy Bean Flour accentuate it with a nice toasty and nutty aroma to the palate.  The edible gold leaf is tasteless and simply for decorative purposes.  However, the pickled Sakura adds a nice tartness and saltiness to the cake.  The Sakura reminds me of salty, sour plum (話梅) with a hint of floral aroma.  Of course, it adds a beautiful visual presentation to this treat as well. 



My Baby Girl and I had so much fun making this Sakura Raindrop Cake together!  I think my girl is ready to take over the kitchen, real soon!  Last but not least, I’ll list all the tools and ingredients used in this recipe for your convenience.  Thank you for stopping by my blog.  I hope you enjoyed today’s video and recipe.  Stay tuned for more fun and trendy treat next week!




Tools and ingredients used:
Large Hemisphere Silicone Mold (Click here for more information)
Agar Agar Powder (Click here for more information)
Pickled Sakura (Click here for more information)
Edible Gold Leaf Sheets (Click here for more information)
Black Sugar (see similar product here)
Soy Bean Flour (Click here for more information)
Food Decorating Tongs/Tweezers (Click here for more information)