Do you have a yearning for unique Japanese desserts that you want to explore? No sweat, you won't need to look too far to find some impressive recipes for these treats! The dainty, sweet confections "wagashi" are in a class to themselves and are different from the cookies and cakes you'll find in European or Western countries. The unique Japanese confections highlighted in the Wagashi Cookbook were made to be served at the traditional tea ceremonies of the country, but they can be eaten anytime you desire. You may be surprised to know that these sweets are very simple to make! The Ingredients for these treasures, such as sticky rice, sweet bean jelly and red bean jam, are easy to prepare. The recipes basically use most of the same ingredients, so once a few are made, it is very easy to make the others. Wagashi treats are fat and butter free which makes them healthier than Western desserts. Oftentimes seasonal fruits are used or fruits found in your own country if that's your preference. Come on, give these treats a try and make them in your own kitchen! Ask your family and friends to sample them for you; I am sure they will love them!

If you want to learn about truly exotic confections, Japanese cuisine is what you are looking for. Would you like to be able to make wagashi desserts like they do in Japan? I have the recipes in this cookbook that will introduce you to these traditional Japanese wagashi and give you a hand in learning to create them yourself. Wagashi often has delicate, interesting shapes, and it is flavored with various natural ingredients like azuki beans, kuzu (kudzu for folks outside of Japan) and agar, a gelatin that makes the treats cohesive and easier to enjoy. Seasonality is important to foodies in Japan, particularly with regard to presentation, color, theme and ingredients. All of these usually match the season or holiday in which they are being served. Japanese wagashi epitomizes the ways the Japanese celebrate the seasons and their lives. Wagashi is usually enjoyed with green tea, but you can eat them however you like. Their variety in consistency and shape will make them interesting to prepare and serve. You and your family and guests may discover a new go-to confectionary dessert!

From Cherry Blossom Rice Cakes to Mochi Dusted with Green Soy-bean Flour, home cooks will be transported by the recipes in Machiko Chiba's latest cookbook devoted to Japanese sweets known as wagashi. Traditionally served as part of the tea ceremony, wagashi are finding a place in contemporary cuisines as light, beautifully crafted, elegant desserts. Now, with her easy-to-follow instructions and the patented Cook-Zen microwave pot, anyone can make wagashi in minutes.

Do you yearn for unique Japanese desserts to share with your family and friends? Will you need to look in many locations to find a variety of understandable recipes for these treats? No, you won't! The sweet, dainty confections known as "wagashi" are a world away from the cakes and cookies you'll find in Europe or Western countries. Japan's unique confections, highlighted in this cookbook, were developed to be served with the traditional tea ceremonies of the country, but you can eat them anytime you like. It may surprise you to know that these sweets are NOT that hard to make! Ingredients for these treats, like red bean jam, sweet bean jelly and sticky rice, are not difficult to prepare. And the recipes use many of the same ingredients, so once you make a few of them, it's SO easy to make others. Wagashi treats do not use fat or butter, so they are healthier than Western desserts. They often utilize seasonal fruits, and you can use fruits found in your own country, if you prefer. Give these a try - make these charming little treats at home. Your family and friends will love to sample them for you. Start creating these tasty, unique treats today!

Chef Yamashita Masataka was trained in Tsuji Culinary Institute, a well-known and respected culinary institute in Osaka, Japan. He worked at various pâtisseries around Japan for 10 years before starting his own pâtisserie in Nara, which quickly became one of the top pâtisseries there. Eight years later, yearning for new challenges and a change of scenery, chef Yamashita moved to Singapore where he took charge of the kitchen at Pâtisserie Glacé, turning it into a haven for delightful cakes and pastries. Chef Yamashita soon saw an opportunity to revive his pâtisserie from Japan and re-established Flor Pâtisserie at Duxton Hill, Singapore. Today, chef Yamashita no longer runs Flor, but his own Japanese artisan pâtisserie at Tangjong Pagar Plaza, aptly named Chef Yamashita. This is chef Yamashita’s second cookbook. His first cookbook, Tanoshii, clinched the Best First Cookbook award at the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards 2013 and is a bestseller

Make Traditional & Contemporary Japanese Dishes with Powerful, Umami-Rich Flavor Mother and daughter Shihoko Ura and Elizabeth McClelland, founders of the blog Chopstick Chronicles, reveal the key to amazing Japanese cooking—fermenting your own miso, amazake and more. Sweet, salty, tangy and rich, these ingredients add subtle layers of flavor to dishes like Ultimate Miso Ramen, vibrant Rainbow Roll Sushi and Japanese Curry with Summer Vegetables and Natto. It’s easy to enjoy the health benefits of fermented foods, known for aiding digestion and boosting the immune system, with fun recipes like Amazake Bubble Tea and Super Simple Shio Koji–Pickled Cucumbers. This book makes achieving Japanese flavors so simple, these fermented ingredients will quickly become staples in your pantry. From multicourse dinners to sweet-salty desserts and refreshing drinks, find out what elevates everyday Japanese dishes to unforgettable classics.

Wagashi is commonly translated as "Japanese sweets or confections." Wa denotes all things Japanese, and gashi originates from kashi, or okashi, which refers to all confections. This book, "The Art of Wagashi, Recipes for Japanese Sweets that Delight the Palate and the Eyes," is dedicated to A. D. Moore (1931-2013), Professor Emeritus of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, who was a mentor and great supporter of Japan House (a cultural teaching center at the University of Illinois). Professor Moore (or Doyle-sensei, as we fondly called him) was a man of versatility with a wealth of knowledge. He was a kind and warm-hearted person, forever curious, who possessed "doshin," a child-like kokoro (kokoro is a Japanese word encompassing multiple meanings including "mind," "heart," and "spirit."). One of the things he shared with so many people was how to make wagashi, which he learned first-hand by visiting a Japanese wagashi shop in Japan many years ago. With his instruction, several of Japan House's students learned the basic techniques and made wagashi for tea classes. Doyle-sensei often discussed writing a wagashi book in English so that people outside of Japan could make authentic wagashi to enjoy with a bowl of tea. Regrettably, his dream did not come true while he was on this earth, but his legacy has been passed down to many generations. Professor Emeritus Kimiko Gunji embarked upon writing this book in honor of Doyle-sensei five years ago, and finally, we feel ready to present this cookbook to all of those who love wagashi. The recipes in this book have been carefully crafted for genuineness. Each recipe has been tested and refined by experienced sweet makers. Other notable features of this book are that all of the ingredients are easily purchased in the United States, and that the final products are authentic in taste and appearance. It is Professor Gunji's greatest hope that all of you who make wagashi according to the recipes in this book will enjoy these treats not only with the palate, but with all senses.