Raindrop cake
TypeDessert
Place of originJapan
Main ingredientsWater, agar

Raindrop cake is a dessert made of water and agar that resembles a large raindrop. It first became popular in Japan in 2014 and later gained international attention.

History

In Japan the dessert is known as mizu shingen mochi (水信玄餅).[1] The dish is an evolution of the Japanese dessert shingen mochi (信玄餅). Shingen mochi was developed in the 1960s[2] and inspired by the locally made abekawa mochi (安倍川餅) which is traditionally eaten during Obon festival in Yamanashi and Shizuoka prefectures.[3]

Shingen mochi, like abekawa mochi, is a rice cake (mochi) covered with kinako (roasted soybean flour) and brown sugar syrup.[2][4] It is named after Takeda Shingen a famous daimyo who ruled over Yamanshi during the Sengoku era. He is said to have used mochi which consisted of rice flour and sugar as an emergency ration during the warring periods.[4][5][6]

Mizu shingen mochi

Mount Kaikoma, the water source of mizu shingen mochi

Kinseiken came up with the idea of mizu shingen mochi.[7] The company is located in Hakushu, Yamanashi which is known for its fresh mineral water. The area is one of the largest producers of mineral water in Japan.[8]

Mizu (水) means water and shingen mochi (信玄餅) is a type of sweet rice cake (mochi) made by the Kinseiken company.[7] The year prior in 2013, the creator wanted to explore the idea of making edible water.[7] The dessert became a viral sensation and people made special trips to the region to experience the dish.[9]

Darren Wong introduced the dish to the United States in New York City at the April 2016 Smorgasburg food fair.[10][11] Shortly after, London restaurant Yamagoya worked four months to develop another version.[9] The dessert is also sold in kits to be made at home.[12]

Description

Raindrop cake with kinako and kuromitsu

The dish is made from mineral water and agar; thus, it has virtually no calories.[11] The water of the original dish is obtained from Mount Kaikoma of the Southern Japanese Alps, and it has been described as having a mildly sweet taste.[7] Agar is a vegan alternative to gelatin that is made from seaweed.[10]

After heating the water and agar, the liquid is molded and cooled.[10] A molasses-like syrup, called kuromitsu, and soybean flour, called kinako, are used as toppings.[9] The dish appears like a transparent raindrop, although it has also been compared to breast implants and jellyfish.[9] The largely tasteless dessert melts when it enters the mouth and must be eaten immediately, or it will melt and begin to evaporate after twenty minutes.[9]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Crowley, Chris (March 31, 2016). "Here's the New Japanese Water Cake That Will Debut at Smorgasburg". Grub Street. Retrieved 2023-06-05.
  2. 1 2 "History of Kikyouya Company". Kikyouya Company (in Japanese). Retrieved 2023-06-05.
  3. ↑ "History of the Kikyou Shingen Mochi". Kikyou Shingen Mochi. 2003-12-08. Archived from the original on 2003-12-08. Retrieved 2023-06-05.
  4. 1 2 "信玄餅 | 金精軒". 金精軒 | 山梨県北杜市で和菓子屋を営んでおります。 (in Japanese). 2011-01-31. Retrieved 2021-07-18.
  5. ↑ "Raindrop Cake, A Low Calorie Japanese Dessert You Need To Try!". Honest Food Talks. 2021-06-01. Retrieved 2021-07-18.
  6. ↑ Kay (June 4, 2014). "This amazing water cake just may be the most delicate sweet ever created!". SoraNews24. Retrieved 2023-06-05.
  7. 1 2 3 4 "Mizu Shingen Mochi: Water You Can Eat?". Japan Info. February 9, 2016. Archived from the original on 2018-03-16. Retrieved 2018-08-16.
  8. ↑ "2019年 水信玄餅をお求めの方へ | 金精軒". 金精軒 | 山梨県北杜市で和菓子屋を営んでおります。 (in Japanese). 2019-05-01. Retrieved 2021-07-18.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 Maitland, Hayley (2018-08-14). "Everything You Need To Know About Raindrop Cakes". British Vogue. Retrieved 2018-08-16.
  10. 1 2 3 "What is a Raindrop Cake – How to Make a Raindrop Cake". Delish. 2018-03-13. Retrieved 2018-08-16.
  11. 1 2 Strutner, Suzy; Aiken, Kristen (2016-03-31). "Get Ready, This Magical Raindrop Cake Is Coming To America". HuffPost. Retrieved 2018-08-16.
  12. ↑ "Raindrop Cake Making Kit". Raindrop Cake. 2017-08-08. Retrieved 2018-08-16.
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