The king of sweet ingredients for Japanese confectionery “Anko”
taizoyokhamatotsuka
What is Anko?
“Anko”（Red bean paste) is an indispensable sweet ingredient for Japanese confectionery and plays a primary role in Japanese sweets.
Anko is made of Azuki beans.
It originated in the Kamakura period (12-13th century) but it was salty Anko at first.
Sweet Anko appeared in the mid term of Edo period(18th century).
The variety of Anko Confectionery
There are a variety of foods relating to Anko that are made from Anko or combined with it as follows.
- Manju: Confectionary of covering Anko with dough ｗhich is made from flour
- Ohagi: Confectionary of covering glutinous rice with Anko
- Anpan: sweet roll filled with Anko
- Dorayaki: Pancake filled with Anko
- Daifuku：Mochi (rice cake) filled with Anko
- Taiyaki: Cake shaped like a fish named “Tai” (Red snapper) filled with Anko
- Monaka: Anko put in 2 crusts made from rice cake
- Youkan: traditional confectionery made of Anko which is put into mold and solidified
- Akafuku-Mochi : Popular souvenir which is famous with Ise shrine. Mochi caked with Anko.
- An-Butter Sand: Japanese endemic confectionery which StarBucks in Japan serves.
Anko and butter are put in a slit of bread. It is one of my favorites in StarBucks which cost 300 yen.
My recommendation is Youkan as a souvenir.
Especially from the Youkan specialty store “Toraya” that can last for a year.
Another recommendation for food that I would like you to taste is Taiyaki which is a street food and An-butter sand of Starbucks.
The butter and Anko of An-butter sand is a perfect combination when you drink coffee.
