Chef-tested recipe
Chilled kanten jelly with homemade anko, shiratama dumplings, seasonal fruit, and black-sugar kuromitsu
Anmitsu is a Japanese chilled sweet arranged from contrasting textures: firm kanten jelly, sweet red-bean paste, chewy shiratama, fruit, and glossy kuromitsu. Its name distinguishes it from mitsumame through the addition of anko. Preparing each component separately keeps the jelly clear, the dumplings tender, and the black-sugar syrup aromatic.
Recipe at a glance
- Servings
- 6 servings
- Prep Time
- 45 mins
- Cook Time
- 1 hour 30 mins
- Resting Time
- 15 mins
- Chilling Time
- 2 hours
- Total Time
- 4 hours 30 mins
- Cuisine
- Japanese
- Course
- Dessert and wagashi
- Cooking Method
- Bean simmering, agar setting, dumpling boiling, syrup-making, and assembly
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Best Served With
- Best served cold with sencha, hōjicha, or unsweetened matcha.
Before you begin
Ingredients & equipment
Gather what you need first, then cook through the method with confidence.
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Equipment
- Heavy saucepanpaid link
- Medium saucepanpaid link
- Small saucepanpaid link
- Fine-mesh sievepaid link
- Shallow jelly containerpaid link
- Mixing bowlpaid link
- Slotted spoonpaid link
- Digital kitchen scalepaid link
Ingredients
For the tsubuan red-bean paste
- Dried azuki beanspaid link: 250 g
- Water, for boiling: 2 litres
- Caster sugarpaid link: 220 g
- Fine sea saltpaid link: 2 g
For the kanten jelly
- Water: 750 ml
- Kanten or agar powderpaid link: 6 g
- Caster sugarpaid link: 30 g
For the shiratama
- Shiratamako or fine glutinous rice flourpaid link: 140 g
- Water: 115 ml
For the kuromitsu
- Japanese black sugar or kokuto, choppedpaid link: 220 g
- Water: 160 ml
For assembly
- Mandarin orange segments, drained: 240 g
- Ripe peach, cut into bite-sized pieces: 240 g
- Strawberries, hulled and halved: 180 g
- Kiwi fruit, peeled and sliced: 180 g
Preparation Overview
Rinse the azuki beans and inspect them for stones. Prepare a shallow container for the kanten jelly and a bowl of iced water for the shiratama. Cut the fruit shortly before assembly and keep each variety chilled separately.
Method
Cover the azuki beans with fresh water, boil for 5 minutes, drain, and return them to the pot with 1.5 litres fresh water.
Simmer gently for 50 to 70 minutes, adding hot water as needed, until the beans crush easily between two fingers.
Drain any excess liquid, stir in the sugar in three additions, and cook until glossy and thick; add salt and cool completely.
Whisk the kanten powder into 750 ml water, bring to a boil, and simmer for 2 minutes so it dissolves fully.
Stir in 30 g sugar, pour into a shallow container, cool, and refrigerate for 2 hours before cutting into 1.5 cm cubes.
Add water gradually to the shiratamako and knead until the dough has the softness of an earlobe.
Roll into 18 small balls, press a shallow dimple in each, boil until they float, cook for 1 minute more, and transfer to iced water.
Combine the black sugar and 160 ml water and simmer for 6 to 8 minutes until lightly syrupy; cool completely.
Divide the kanten cubes among six chilled bowls and add red-bean paste, three shiratama dumplings, and the prepared fruit.
Serve with kuromitsu on the side or drizzle it over each bowl immediately before eating.
Beginner Technique Notes
Azuki beans do not require overnight soaking, but the first brief boil helps remove some astringency.
Agar must boil to dissolve properly; gelatin cannot replace it in the same amount or with the same method.
Add water to shiratamako gradually because different flour brands absorb differently.
Cool every component before assembly so the jelly does not soften and the fruit stays fresh.
Tips and Variations
Add cooked red endomame peas for a more detailed mitsumame-style foundation when they are available.
A scoop of matcha ice cream turns the dessert into cream anmitsu.
Use seasonal fruit while keeping some canned mandarin or peach for the familiar kissaten presentation.
Store shiratama for only a short time because refrigeration makes them firm.
Serving Ideas
- Arrange components in distinct sections rather than mixing them together. Keep the translucent kanten visible and serve extra kuromitsu in a small pouring vessel.
Storage
Refrigerate kanten and anko separately for up to 3 days. Kuromitsu keeps refrigerated for 2 weeks. Prepare shiratama and cut fruit on the day of serving. Do not freeze the assembled dessert.
Nutritional Value
Allergen Notes
The core recipe contains no major common allergens, but verify agar, glutinous rice flour, canned fruit, and black sugar for cross-contact. Add allergen declarations separately if serving with ice cream.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is anmitsu?
It is a Japanese chilled dessert of kanten jelly served with anko, fruit, syrup, and often shiratama.
Is kanten the same as gelatin?
No. Kanten is seaweed-based agar and sets more firmly at room temperature.
What is kuromitsu?
Kuromitsu is a dark syrup made from Japanese black sugar and water.
Can I use canned red-bean paste?
Yes, but homemade tsubuan allows control over sweetness and bean texture.
