This sakura an is inspired by the well-known anko (sweet red azuki bean paste). This variation is also a paste, made from white beans and cherry blossom leaves. It can be used in much the same way as “regular” sweet bean paste.
The paste is delightfully sweet with a silky-smooth texture, and made extra special by the addition of cherry blossom. Naturally, it is perfectly suited for Japanese sweets such as mochi, but it also adds a unique Japanese touch to other desserts. You can also mix the paste into many kinds of dough; its flavour and aroma remain intact even after baking.
Anko: Sweet Red Bean Paste
One of the most important (basic) ingredients of Japanese confectionery (wagashi) is sweet red bean paste: anko or an. This paste is usually made from red azuki (adzuki) beans, sugar, and a small amount of salt. Azuki beans are among the most commonly used legumes in Japanese cuisine.
For sweet red bean paste, the beans are cooked and then processed in different ways:
Tsubuan: the beans remain whole or are only partially mashed.
Koshian: the beans are fully puréed (and sieved to remove the skins) into a smooth paste.
Uses
In Japan, red bean paste is often purchased ready-made in stores (as with our paste), but it is also commonly prepared at home from whole azuki beans, especially for special occasions, such as:
Sakura mochi: pink-coloured balls of glutinous rice (sweetened and lightly pounded), filled with red bean paste and wrapped in edible, pickled cherry blossom leaves (sakura).
Ohagi: balls of glutinous rice coated with sweet red bean paste, traditionally made during the autumn equinox.
With our red bean paste, you can prepare many other Japanese treats, including:
Mizu-yōkan: red bean jelly
Taiyaki: fish-shaped waffles filled with red bean paste
Dorayaki: two small, thick pancakes with red bean paste in between
Daifuku: mochi (glutinous rice cakes) filled with red bean paste, optionally with fruit such as strawberry
As a topping for shaved ice or matcha ice cream
On toast
In a matcha latte or bubble tea (often with bean pieces)
And much more!
Producer
Yamashin Sangyo has been developing sweet ingredients that bring the Japanese sense of the seasons to life for over 25 years. The company was one of the pioneers in the use of cherry blossoms and sakura leaves in food, introducing innovative products based on this traditional ingredient in the 1990s.
With great attention to origin, quality, and flavour, they create ingredients that are not only distinctive in aroma and appearance but also practical to use. By focusing on seasonal flowers, leaves, and locally grown fruit, Yamashin Sangyo aims to let people around the world enjoy sweets that delight both body and mind, while also helping to preserve Japanese food culture and sakura traditions.
Storage
Store in a cool, dark, and dry place. After opening, keep tightly sealed in an airtight container, refrigerate, and consume as soon as possible.
