9 Western Desserts in Japan
posted by John Spacey, June 08, 2015Desserts are big business in Japan.The Japanese are particularly fond of gourmet western desserts from France and Italy. In many cases, such western desserts are customized with local ingredients. Japanese dessert ingredients are also increasingly popular in Europe and North America.The following are examples of Japanese flavors of western desserts. These are easy to find in Japan.
1. Yuzu Chocolate
Yuzu is a sour and somewhat ugly Japanese fruit. It can be used to flavor a number of western desserts such as chocolate or macarons.
2. Ume Macaron
Ume are a super sour Japanese fruit that are used to flavor desserts.
(pink one, front)
(pink one, front)3. Pear Tarts
Japan is extremely fond of tarts made with Japanese Nashi Pears. Tarts in Japan often resemble pie.
4. Kinako Cookies
For many centuries Japan had a sugar problem. Refined sugar made its way to Japan as early as the 15th century. However, it wasn't widely available until the 19th century. For the 400 hundred years in between, refined sugar was extremely expensive and rare in Japan.As a result, many traditional Japanese desserts are sweetened with kinako (roasted soybean flour).Kinako can also be used to sweeten western desserts with some interesting results.
(kinako chocolate cookie, right)
(kinako chocolate cookie, right)5. Mikan Pudding
Mikan are better known as mandarin oranges in English. They are a Japanese fruit that have spread all over the world. Mikan are widely cultivated in the United States. 
(mikan pudding, far right)
(mikan pudding, far right)6. Japanese Strawberry Cake
Japan produces a variety of luxury dessert strawberries that can cost 1000 yen per berry. Such high quality strawberries are often incorporated into cakes and other western desserts.
7. Sakura Macarons
Sakura petals are a seasonal ingredient for Spring. Practically every western dessert sold in Japan has some sakura variation.
8. Matcha Tiramisu
Matcha is a popular ingredient for western desserts such as Italian Tiramisu.
9. Anko Macaron
Anko is used to sweeten countless traditional Japanese desserts. This hasn't been lost on western pastry chefs. 
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