Anmitsu

What is Anmitsu ?


Anmitsu is considered as a summer dessert but we can buy it all year around here in Japan. This Japanese style parfait is made of small cubes of agar agar jelly, red bean paste called anko, mochi, various fruits, ice cream (either vanilla or matcha flavor) and boiled red beans. It’s usually served with brown sugar syrup called Kuromitsu that you pour over the Anmitsu before enjoying this sweet.

Anmitsu, was invented in Ginza. In 1894, Hanjiro Mori opened an adzuki-soup shop "Wakamatsu," which became widely successful. His son, Hanjiro Mori the Second, combined mitsumame, a dessert of boiled beans and molasses popular since Edo period, with adzuki bean paste to create the first anmitsu in 1930. This, was an instant hit.

Since the moment, anmitsu has been "the dessert of Japan." Today, many varieties of anmitsu are sold; such as Cream anmitsu which is anmitsu with ice cream, Shiratama anmitsu, a dish of animtsu with rice-flour dumplings, and also there is a mixture of the two called Cream-Shiratama anmitsu. You can eat these delicacies in the store or take them home as a souvenir. 


What exactly in the Anmitsu

Agar agar jelly (Kanten) :

Agar agar jelly is a transparent color jelly made from tengusa, a Red Sea algae. It has no calories and no taste; and takes on the flavor of whatever it is mixed with; it solidifies at room temperature, making it simple to work with.

Red bean paste (Anko) :

Sweet bean paste is often made from Azuki beans, which is an essential ingredient in Japanese sweets. Red bean paste is either smooth (Koshian) or chunky/grainy (Tsubuan). It's key ingredient of Anmistu because its name comes from the abbreviation of Anko.It can be a perfect sweets for vegetarians and vegans.

Rice cake (Mochi) :

A taffy made from sticky rice that has been steamed and pounded. It’s easy to use glutinous rice flour to make mochi. There are two kinds of rice flour; Dango-ko (or Joshinko) and Shiratama-ko. Dango-ko is made from non-sticky rice.

Ice cream :

Another important topping of Anmitsu for summer. Normally, either vanilla or Matcha ice cream. Somehow no sherbets for Anmitsu.

Brown sugar syrup (Kuromitsu) :

This is another key ingredient of Anmitsu because its name comes from the abbreviation of Kuromitsu. It’s called brown sugar syrup but is almost black in color.

Red bean peas (Aka Endomame) :

A few boiled peas are normally topped with Anmitsu. Even in Japan, it’s hard to find those specific peas at the local supermarket. 

A variety of fruits (Kudamono) :

You can use any fresh fruits or canned fruits to create your Anmitsu.

Anmitsu is a traditional Japanese sweet. Anmitsu may be avoided by young Japanese people since there are various imported sweets everywhere. 

The sweetness and sourness are perfectly harmonized thanks to the brown sugar syrup. Ice cream and Mochi are always a perfect match.

You may be able to find canned Anmitsu at local supermarkets, but please try handmade Anmitsu. It’s always the BEST!


How to Serve Anmitsu

Small cubes of kanten jelly are served in a bowl and toppings are placed on top or on the side. Since the kanten is white translucent jelly, consider colorful toppings for an appealing look.

Serve anmitsu with black sugar syrup, made of Okinawan black sugar, and drizzle the syrup over the jelly before eating.

Enjoy putting mouthfuls of these delicious items from the bowl. Despite all the differences in texture and flavors, this dessert represents quintessentially Japanese harmony, where everything works together.


Anmitsu variation

Many variations exist in Anmitsu. It started as mitsumame for children in Edo period. Nowadays, you can see various fruits in the mitsumame at Japanese cafes or canned mitsumame products. But here is the basic understanding of the world of Anmitsu. 

– Mitsumame : Agar agar jelly + Brown sugar syrup (Kuromitsu) + Boiled peas (Endomame)

– Fruit Mitsumame : Mitsumame + Fruits

– Cream Mitsumame : Mitsumame + Ice cream

– Anmitsu : Mitsumame + Red bean paste (anko)

– Cream Anmitsu : Mitsumame + Red bean paste (anko) + Ice cream

– Shiratama Anmitsu : Mitsumame + Red bean paste (anko) + Mochi (Shiratama dango)

– Shiratama Cream Anmitsu : Mitsumame + Red bean paste (anko) + Mochi (Shiratama dango) + Ice cream

– Fruits Shiratama Cream Anmitsu : Mitsumame + Red bean paste (anko) + Mochi (Shiratama dango) + Ice cream + Fruits 

 

Source: Google 

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