Japanese sweet cakes with Sakura
In almost every weekend, my wife and I enjoy various Japanese sweets. In this month, confectionery makers commonly release Sakura taste sweets. We are the great fun of the varieties in the cherry blossom season.
Nakataya (中田屋)
There are many JP sweets makers who produce Kintsuba (金鍔). It is made with Japan’s red beans, so called Azuki (Adzuki) beans (小豆). In case of Anko ( 餡子 ), which is one of the most important and widely used as the base of JP sweets, it is completely paste of red Azuki beans. On the other hand, we still see the shape of beans inside of Kintsuba, mixtured with the paste. And whole surface of Kintsuba is covered with skin layer made from flour and the high quality powder of non-glutinous rice.
For me, Kintsuba of Nakataya (中田屋) is the best in class. The original shop of Nakataya is closer into my mother’s house. Thus when I went there to meet Granpa and Granma in my childhood, I enjoy the taste. Although I’ living in Kyoto, I still regularly enjoy the nice Kintsuba of Nakataya. Fortunately Kyoto Takashimaya Department Store bring it from Kanazawa and sell.
The feature of Nakataya’s Kintsuba is the relatively larger size of Azuki shape in the paste, which contribute into the unique texture with nice flavor and taste.
Kintsuba Sakura
It is seasonal special Kintsuba by Nakataya. The normal Kintsuba consist from red beans, Anko (餡子) and skin layer. This special Kintsuba, which is available only during the cherry blossom season, replace the red beans into white beans (白小豆). Then I can feel the spring flavor from the skin layer, including the salted cherry leaves. Then the topping of the cute salted double cherry blossoms bring out Japan’s fine spring, increasing more the fresh & relaxing spring mood.
Yes, almost every year after we moved from Chiba to Kyoto in 2015, my wife and I enjoy this spring sweet from Kanazawa thanks to Kyoto Takashimaya Department.
Sakura Chan
I think Anko (餡子), the inside of this cake, is similar with Sakura Kintsuba. But surface skin is monaka (最中) style, a kind of wafer, made from Shin Taisho Mochi (大正餅）Class No.1 rice. Thus we can enjoy the different texture with fine spring Sakura flavor.
Sasaya Iori (笹屋伊織)
Sasaya Iori is the confectionery maker in Kyoto who has quite long history, more than 300 years.
Sakura Pai
Among various traditional sweet cake menu, this cake shows the mixture of traditional style in Japan and aspect from Western country. The inside is white beans paste with minced cherry leaves. Then it is covered with tender pie crust. Nice combination with spring flavor and taste.
