So for Christmas Drayan and Lex Ashworth got me a book on international sweets and these are so simple and pretty I decided to use this! Wagashi is a name for Japanese sweets that are often served with tea and this specific type is called Nerikiri. The base is a pretty simple dough a lot like marzipan. And can be eaten as is. But some also fill them with various kinds of thick sweet fillings such as red bean paste, adzuki paste, or dried fruits..
You will need!
Ingredients
For the Shiro-an (White Bean Paste)
- 8 oz lima beans, soaked for 12 hours and skin discarded
- ¾ cups granulated sugar
- ¼ tsp salt
For the Nerikiri Wagashi
- 1¼ tbsp sweet rice flour
- 1½ tbsp water
- 1½ tsp sugar
- 1 cup shiro-an (white bean paste)
- Food coloring of your choice, or the color change spell
- Optional – small molds
- Optional – various sweet fillings
Equipment needed
- Measuring cups
- Measuring spoons
- Bowls
- Large pot
- Muggle Food processor or use the stirring spell with some knives VERY CAREFULLY
- Fine Mesh strainer
- Medium Saucepan
- Medium pot
- Wood Spatula
Instructions
For the Shiro-an (White Bean Paste)
- Add the soaked lima beans into a large pot, then add enough water to barely cover the beans. Simmer for 1.5 to 2 hours, or until beans are soft
- Once done, drain the water and blend the tender lima beans in a food processor. If you can’t access a muggle food processor the stirring spell with some knives would work. I think also if you can just..transfigure them into mashed forms.
- Working in batches, transfer a portion of the bean puree to a fine-meshed strainer. Using a spatula or spoon, press the beans through the strainer to produce a smooth white bean paste.
- Into a medium saucepan, add in sugar, salt, and the white bean paste. Cook on medium-low heat, and stir until sugar is dissolved and mixture becomes a moldable paste, about 15-20 minutes.
- Turn off the heat, then transfer the shiro-an into a large plate or container.
For the Nerikiri
- In a medium pot over medium heat, mix sweet rice flour, water, and sugar with a wooden spatula.
- Add in the shiro-an (white bean paste). Continue to mix until a tacky, moldable dough forms.
- Turn off heat, then transfer nerikiri to a plate or baking sheet to cool.
- Once cool, split the “dough” and place in different bowls/containers to color with food dye or the color change spell..
- Shape the nerikiri wagashi in different forms. The size is usually about an inch big and Traditional shapes include flowers, Balls of different colors with geometric shapes pressed into them and animals. You can also press them into candy molds. Be creative and have fun!
