Japanese Agar Jelly Dessert with Sweet Red Beans and Fruit

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A refreshing Japanese chilled dessert featuring delicate agar jelly cubes, chewy rice dumplings, sweet azuki beans, and seasonal fruit, all drizzled with rich brown sugar syrup. This classic cafe-style treat is light, beautiful, and perfect for warm weather.

Nutrition Facts

Per serving (estimated)

• 285 kcalCalories
• 2 gFat
• 0.5 gSaturated Fat
• 62 gCarbs
• 4 gFiber
• 42 gSugar
• 4 gProtein
• 55 mgSodium
• 240 mgPotassium
• 45 mgCalcium
• 1.8 mgIron
• 18 mgVitamin C
• 95 mcgVitamin A

Ingredients

For the agar jelly

• 4 g agar-agar powder (about 1 packet)
• 500 ml water
• 50 g granulated sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)

For the shiratama dango (rice dumplings)

• 100 g shiratamako (glutinous rice flour)
• 90 ml cold water
• Pinch of salt
• 1 tbsp potato starch for dusting

For the kuromitsu (brown sugar syrup)

• 100 g Japanese black sugar (kokutou) or dark muscovado
• 60 ml water
• 1 tbsp mirin
• 1/2 tsp soy sauce (optional, for depth)

For assembling the bowls

• 200 g sweet azuki red beans (tsubuan style)
• 1 ripe mikan or mandarin orange, peeled and segmented
• 1/2 fresh peach or 2 canned peach slices
• 4 maraschino cherries
• 4 small scoops vanilla ice cream (optional)

Directions

1. Make the agar jelly: In a saucepan, whisk agar-agar powder into cold water and bring to a gentle boil. Simmer for 2 minutes, stirring, until the agar fully dissolves, then add sugar and vanilla and stir until clear. Pour into a shallow pan, cool, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour until firmly set. Cut into 1.5 cm cubes.
2. Prepare the shiratama dango: Combine shiratamako, water, and salt in a bowl and knead until a smooth, pliable dough forms. Roll into small 1 cm balls, dusting hands with potato starch to prevent sticking.
3. Cook the dumplings: Bring a pot of water to a boil, drop in the dumplings, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until they float to the surface. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a bowl of cold water to keep them chewy and bouncy.
4. Make the kuromitsu syrup: Combine black sugar, water, mirin, and soy sauce in a small saucepan. Simmer over medium-low heat for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened and syrupy. Let cool completely.
5. Prepare the fruit: Peel and segment the mikan, halve the peach, and pit the cherries if needed. Pat fruit dry to keep the bowls from getting watery.
6. Assemble the bowls: Divide the agar jelly cubes among 4 chilled bowls, then add a spoonful of sweet red beans and 6 to 8 rice dumplings to each.
7. Top each bowl with mikan segments, peach slices, and a cherry, then add a small scoop of ice cream if using.
8. Drizzle 1 to 2 tablespoons of kuromitsu syrup over each bowl just before serving and serve immediately with small spoons.

Cook’s Notes

• Make the agar jelly and kuromitsu up to 2 days ahead; both keep well in the refrigerator in sealed containers.
• Use tsubuan (chunky beans) for a more traditional texture or koshi-an (smooth paste) for a silkier feel.
• Substitute kokutou with an equal weight of dark muscovado or brown sugar for a similar deep molasses flavor.
• Chill the serving bowls in the freezer for 10 minutes for an extra-refreshing presentation on hot days.
• Add a splash of condensed milk over the top for a richer, café-style finish.

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