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What is Anmitsu?
Anmitsu (あんみつ) is a traditional Japanese jelly dessert that dates back to the Meiji Era (1868–1912). It is made from cubes of lightly sweetened translucent jelly topped with a variety of fruit and other toppings. The dish gets its name from combining the words “anko” (sweet red bean paste) and “kuromitsu” (dark sugar syrup) which are standard toppings for the dish.
What sets this dish apart from standard jelly desserts, is the use of “kanten jelly” made with a plant-based jelling agent called “kanten” (寒天). Kanten is most often made from ogonori (gracilaria) or tengusa (gelidiaceae) which are both types of red algae. Due to its plant-based nature, kanten jelly and anmitsu are suitable for vegetarians.
Kanten is often translated into English as “agar”, however you need to be careful with this translation as the ingredients used to make agar powder vary from brand to brand resulting in different firmness and texture.
Anmitsu is easy to make and requires very little cooking, it’s also easy to customize with your favorite fruits. It’s perfect to make and eat in summer, so I hope you give it a try!
How I Developed This Recipe
My goal with this recipe was to create an authentic Anmitsu that is easy and efficient to prepare, uses accessible ingredients and open to customization.
My selection of fruits focused on summer flavors, combining canned mikan (mandarin orange), peach and fresh kiwi for good balance of sweetness and tartness.
If you want to try an Anmitsu recipe that will take you straight to a traditional cafe in Japan, you have to try this recipe!
Key Ingredients & Substitution Ideas
To make this anmitsu recipe, you will need the following ingredients:
- Kanten: The main base for anmitsu is kanten jelly, a firm jelly made with a plant-based setting agent made from red algae. Kanten comes in stick, string or powder form. This recipe uses kanten powder (affiliate), but of course you can use the other types. Although kanten is often translated as “agar”, it is not exactly the same and you will to adjust the quantity according to the instructions on the packaging when using “agar” or “agar agar”. If you want to make the jelly with gelatine, you will need to increase the amount so that the jelly is firm enough to cut into cubes and setting time will be longer.
- Fruits: Traditional anmitsu is typically made with canned fruits, however it is perfectly fine to use fresh fruits or a mixture of both. In my recipe, I’ve used canned mikan, peach and Maraschino cherries with fresh kiwi. Other popular fruit choices include strawberries, pineapple and banana but you can get creative with your favorite fruits.
- Sweet Red Bean Paste: The name “anmitsu” comes from the addition of red bean paste, known in Japanese as “anko”. You can use chunky anko (tsubuan) or smooth anko (koshian) according to preference. If you’re interested in making your own tsubuan or koshian, click on the links to find the recipes.
- Glutinous Rice Flour: Anmitsu is usually served with a small soft mochi-like balls called gyuhi in the form of “shiratama dango”. To make shiratama dango, you will need glutinous rice flour, also sometimes known as “sweet rice flour”. I used “shiratamako” (affiliate) which is especially for making shiratama dango, but mochiko will work as a substitute. You can also omit the dango if glutinous rice flour is not accessible.
- Sugar: A mixture of white sugar and dark brown sugar (muscovado) is used to make the kuromitsu syrup. I also sweeten the kanten jelly with a small amount of white sugar too. I used caster sugar, but granulated or similar is also good to use.
- Whipped Cream or Ice Cream: These are optional but for me, it wouldn’t be the same without it! Feel free to include matcha ice cream for an additional flavor element!
- Red Peas: Traditionally, a type of red pea called “aka endo mame” are scattered over the dish, however these can be difficult to find so I personally omit them.
Tools
- 18cm square cake pan (7 inches) or similar container to set the jelly.
Visual Walkthrough & Tips
Here are my step-by-step instructions for how to make traditional Japanese Anmitsu at home. For ingredient quantities and simplified instructions, scroll down for the Printable Recipe Card below.
This section aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the cooking steps and techniques with visuals. I will also include more in-depth tips and tricks than the recipe card.
Start by measuring mixing the kanten and sugar together in a cold pan. I find this helps prevent the kanten from clumping together.
Gradually add the water while mixing to ensure it’s smooth, then bring to a boil over a medium/medium-low heat. Kanten powder needs to be boiled to activate its setting properties, so let it boil for 2 minutes and stir occasionally to make sure it’s not burning at the bottom. After boiling for 2 minutes, remove the pan from the heat.
Tip for cooling: Fill a larger pan with cold water (cold but not ice cold as this can make the kanten firm up suddenly). Place the pan with the kanten in the pot of cold water, making sure not to let any water into the kanten mixture, and mix to cool. Once it thickens slightly, sprinkle your container with water and pour the kanten jelly inside.
Leave to cool to room temperature (15-20 minutes) and then chill in the refrigerator for about 1 hour.
In a cold pan, mix the white sugar, dark brown sugar and water.
Place the pan on the stove and continue to stir over a low heat until it starts to bubble. Once bubbling, stop stirring to prevent crystallization.
Tilt the pan occasionally to ensure even heating and cook until slightly thickened. Be careful not to thicken too much, as it will thicken more once cooled. I find about 5-7 minutes of gentle simmering is ideal.
Let it cool and then transfer to a jug for serving.
Before you begin making the dango, start boiling a pot of water. While you wait for it to heat, pour the glutinous rice flour into a bowl and whisk to aerate it.
Add half of the water and mix thoroughly. Then, add the water little by little and knead by hand until a dough forms. It should be soft with the texture of play dough. In Japanese, we say “the texture of an earlobe”.
Divide the dango into 15g pieces. Once the pot of water reaches a rolling boil, roll the pieces of dango “dough” into balls and drop them straight into the pot. (I find rolling them in advance causes them to stick to the plate while waiting for the water to boil so I don’t recommend shaping before the water is ready.)
As you drop the dango into the pot, gently roll them to stop them from sticking to the bottom. Leave them to boil until all of the dango are floating, then set a timer for 2 minutes.
While you wait, prepare a bowl of cold water. When the timer sounds, use a slotted spoon to transfer the cooked dango straight to the cold water and leave to cool.
Cut the kanten jelly into cubes and divide them between serving bowls.
Drain the shiratama dango and place them on top with a generous scoop of red bean paste.
Arrange the fruit on top and add whipped cream or ice cream. Serve with kuromitsu syrup.
How to Store
Once assembled, anmitsu should be eaten as soon as possible. That said, the individual elements can be stored. Kanten jelly can be kept in a sealed container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
Homemade kuromitsu syrup can be stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator for 1-2 months.
I hope you enjoy this traditional Japanese Anmitsu recipe! If you try it out, I’d really appreciate it if you could spare a moment to let me know what you thought by giving a review and star rating in the comments below. It’s also helpful to share any adjustments you made to the recipe with our other readers. Thank you!
More Japanese Dessert Recipes
- Warabi Mochi (Bracken Cakes)
- Ichigo Daifuku (Strawberry Mochi)
- Mizu Yokan (Red Bean Jelly)
Want more inspiration? Explore my Japanese Desserts Roundup Post for a carefully selected collection of tasty recipe ideas to satisfy your next sweets craving!
Anmitsu (Japanese Kanten Jelly Dessert with Red Bean Paste)
Equipment
Ingredients
Kanten Jelly
- 4 g kanten powder
- 3 tbsp sugar
- 500 ml cold water
Kuromitsu Syrup
- 50 g dark brown sugar
- 50 g white sugar
- 120 ml cold water
Shiratama Dango
- 65 g glutinous rice flour (shiratamako)
- 60 ml water
Toppings
- 300 g red bean paste
- 1 kiwi
- 12 segments mandarin orange canned or fresh
- 6 slices peach canned or fresh
- 6 Maraschino cherries
- whipped cream (or ice cream) optional
Instructions
Kanten Jelly
- Begin by sprinkling 4 g kanten powder and 3 tbsp sugar into a cold pan. Mix until combined.
- Gradually add 500 ml cold water while gently whisking.
- Place the pan on the stove and bring to a boil over a medium heat. Boil for 2 minutes and stir occasionally. Turn off the heat and fill a larger pan with cold water. Hold the smaller pan over the cold water and mix for a few minutes to cool slightly.
- Pour the mixture into a 7 inch square container and cool for 10-15 minutes before chilling in the refrigerator for about 1 hour.
Kuromitsu Syrup
- Add 50 g dark brown sugar, 50 g white sugar and 120 ml cold water to a cold pan. Mix well and then place the pan on the stove. Heat on low and continue to stir until the sugar has dissolved.
- Once the mixture starts to bubble, stop mixing and continue to heat until slightly thickened (about 5-7 minutes). Tilt the pan occasionally to heat evenly. Remove the pan from the heat and leave to cool before transferring into a serving container.
Shiratama Dango
- Start boiling a pot of water. While you wait, pour 65 g glutinous rice flour into a bowl and whisk while it's dry to aerate it. Measure out 60 ml water and add half of it to the bowl. Mix thoroughly.
- Add the rest of the water little by little, kneading by hand each time until you can form a ball with a play dough-like texture. You might need to use a little less or more water than stated, adjust the amount according to the texture of the dough.
- Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces (2 per portion) and once the pot of water is at a rolling boil, roll the pieces into balls and drop them straight into the water.
- Each time you add a dango to the pot, gently roll it to stop it from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Boil until they all start to float, then set a timer for 2 minutes.
- While the dango are boiling, prepare a bowl of ice cold water. When the 2 minute timer is up, transfer the dango the to ice cold water and leave to cool.
Assembly
- Cut the kanten jelly into 2cm (approx 1 inch) cubes.
- Divide them into serving bowls and top with a 50g scoop of red bean paste and two shiratama dango.
- Arrange the fruits on top and add whipped cream or ice cream. Drizzle generously with kuromitsu syrup and enjoy!
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