Bloom Along with Spring’s Blossoming Cherry Blossoms
with Kofukudo’s New Spring Inspired Confectionary Collection
Every season has its own special harvest and none know this better than the Japanese, who relish in the coming spring because it means one thing—it is cherry blossom season! With the blossoming of these beautiful and graceful flowers also comes a wide variety of cherry blossom and artemisia infused delicacies and so to allow customers here to get a taste of these Japanese favorites, Japanese confectionary—Kofukudo—beginning March 1st, presents its spring limited edition sweets, which are all inspired by spring’s seasonal harvests. Items include cherry blossom flavored yokan, ohagi, dorayaki, manju, and more! Through the sweetly sensational flavors, may you experience the melodious beauty of spring.
Kofukudo’s Japanese executive confectionary chef has specially come to Taiwan for 2 weeks to train chefs, and it is hoped that through learning authentic skills and techniques, customers may experience the traditional flavors of Japan. Cherry Blossoms are rich in vitamins A and C so are good for the body and its light and fanciful color is pleasing to the eye, and artemisia contains vitamin A and B along with calcium and iron. High in nutritional value, it helps purify the blood and helps boost the body. Included in the limited time spring collection are:
【Cherry Blossom Yokan】：Every spring when the cherry blossoms are in bloom, the Japanese prepare a variety of sweets to take with them while cherry blossom viewing. Agar powder, sugar and trehalose are mixed and brought to a boil and then Japanese imported cherry blossom and white bean paste are added and mixed evenly. Then settled to 45 degrees Celsius, move to the refrigerator to chill. The cherry blossom yokan is not as sweet as traditional yokan, and the addition of water allows for a lighter taste that is appropriate for spring. The use of Japanese imported agar also allows for a smoother consistency and its low calorie nature allows health conscious customers a splendid way to enjoy the season’s sweetest treat. NT$40 per piece.
【Cherry Blossom Ohagi】：Ohagi are a traditional snack made by housewives in Japan in the spring and autumn season. Traditional ohagi are made from steamed glutinous rice with a red bean and sugar brewed mix on the exterior, also known as red bean Ohagi and one of Kofukudo’s popular treats. But in celebration of spring, chefs have changed the traditional recipe by using imported Japanese cherry blossoms, cherry blossom syrup and a fragrant white bean paste to create a cherry blossom filling which is wrapped in a cherry blossom glutinous rice mixture and topped with a cherry blossom. One bite and you can taste the sweet bean paste complemented by the slightly salty cherry blossom glutinous rice which allows you through sight and taste, to experience the joy of spring. NT$40 per piece.
【Cherry Blossom Sansai Dorayaki】：Early Japanese lived in rural areas so most ingredients were found in the mountains with sansai (wild mountain vegetables) becoming a staple in the diet of farmers. Sansai dessert was made by grinding the sansai after it had been pulled and dried, after which water and sugar were added. The process was a laborious one and therefore considered a luxury, thereby becoming a dessert for the wealthy. In ancient Japan, only those of the imperial family and of great wealth could afford such a luxury. To make this delicacy, chefs boiled sansai powder, sugar and water and let it cool to make the sansai dessert. Wrapped in a dorayaki exterior with trehalose sugar and longan honey for flavor, the soft sponge exterior contains a delicate honey fragrance while the interior has a sweet and salty composition created from the combination of a cherry blossom and sansai filling. The cherry blossom sansai dorayaki puts a spin on the classic dorayaki filling by adding the season’s freshest cherry blossom ingredient combined with the tasty sansai, creating a whole new taste sensation. NT$38 each.
【Hanami Manju】：A traditional treat enjoyed especially in the springtime while cherry blossom viewing. Hanami manju is like kohaku manju (red and white manju); according to Japanese custom, one red and one white is a sign of happiness and festivity, but hanami are different from kohaku that the white exterior is made from a mixture of imported Japanese baking flour, low gluten flour, baking powder, while the red one is made with gardenia to create the pink exterior. The white hanami contain a rich layer of green tea filling while the reddish pink hanami contain a fragrant cherry blossom filling. NT$25 each.
【Cherry Blossom Mochi】：It is said that this dessert was created by a monk while tending to the courtyard. Wanting to make use of all the cherry blossom leaves that had fallen, he soaked them in soy sauce and used them to wrap glutinous rice cakes, and so now we have tender sour and sweet cherry blossom mochi. Using methods from the Kansai region, the flour is colored with gardenia extract to give a light pink color, and then filled with a red bean paste and topped with a cherry blossom leaf. The sweet filling is perfectly juxtaposed against the slightly salty cherry blossom leaf, allowing you to experience the alluring fragrance of spring’s blooming cherry blossoms. NT$40 each.
【Artemisia Daifuku】：Quickly boiling artemisia leaves so they retain their tender green color, artemisia is then kneaded into the daifuku mochi dough and filled with a richly sweet red bean filling. The delicate green exterior brings a light artemisia flavor and complemented by the heavenly sweet red bean filling, you can truly taste the sweet scent of spring. NT$38 each.
Kofukudo LocationsKofukudo Hsin Chu (B1 FE21 Hsin Chu Mall)
323 Xi Da Road, North District, Hsin Chu 03-5266-058
Kofukudo Breeze Center (B2 Breeze Center)
B2, 39 FuXing South Road, Section 1, Taipei 02-8772-2126
Kofukudo Taipei Main Station (2F Main Station Breeze Center)
2F, 3 BeiPing West Road, Taipei 02-2382-2366
Kofukudo Taipei Main Station New World Mall (B1 New World Mall)
B1, 50 Zhong Xiao West Road, Section 1, Taipei 02-2388-2066
Kofukudo NanXi (B2 Shin Kong Mitsukoshi NanXi)
B2, 12 NanJing West Road, Taipei 02-2511-5110
