Number 11: Starbucks Sakura Latte & Sakura Cheesecake

Starbucks Maccha-Latte has long been a favourite of mine. But from this week a new limited edition flavour has been released.

The Sakura late is delicious. It may well taste of Sakura, though I must admit I have never eaten one. The taste is smooth and sweet, and goes down nicely.

The cheesecake was equally delicious. However, it had a few drawbacks to what could have been a very nice desert:

1 - It's a little salty. Salt is quite popular in Japan. But for me, salt and sweets do not mix. While this was delicious, the salt left my lips a little sore.

2 - There is a leaf on top. This is also salty, but that is not the problem. The problem is that the leaf is hard to cut with a plastic spoon or fork, and if you try you will just mush your cheesecake.

Neither of these points stopped me eating it though.

Starbucks is currently offering a small range of other Sakura products (which I will try in time) and I would recommend them to everyone.

Number 10: DIY Melonpan

メロンパン - Melon-Pan

I put this recipe together a long time ago. In England, since Melonpan is so hard to get, I made my own. After a while I put the recipe on Bukisa hoping it would be of interest to people, but so far it has been impossible to publish the post. So, here it is on my blog. I hope you like it.

メロン (Meron) = Melon
パン(Pan) = Bread

If you have ever been to Japan, you have probably come across this confectionery delight in almost every bakery, sweet shop, cafe and supermarket you visited. There are many varieties of Melon-Pan. Some plain, some with a filling. Some mixed with 抹茶 (Maccha/Green Tea Powder). In Asakusa you can even get Giant Melon-Pan.

This delicious treat can be found all over Japan, but in other parts of the world can be a little harder to obtain. But, with this recipe, and possibly a little importing of flavourings, you can make your very own Melon-Pan at home.

WARNING: One ingredient, Melon Essence, can be hard to come by in some parts of the world. In the UK, I had to have my wife's family send me some from Japan. If you can't find Melon Essence, you can exchange this for any readily available essence you like the taste of. The results will still be delicious. But, Melon is best.

INGREDIENTS

Cookie Topping

Plain Flour -160g
Unsalted Butter -60g
Sugar -60g
Baking Powder -1/2 Tea Spoon
Egg -1
Melon Essence - To taste

Pan/Bread

Strong Plain Flour - 160g
Plain Flour - 20g
Dried Yeast - 2.5g
Sugar - 15g
Salt - 2g
Skimmed Milk - 4g

RECIPE

Cookie Topping

The cookie topping should be prepared the the day before, and left in the fridge for upto 24hours before being added to the bread.

1. Sieve the flour and baking soda into a bowl and set aside for use later (step 4).

2. Add the egg to the butter and mix.

3. Add the flour. This is best done in 3 equal parts to make mixing easier.

4. Add the melon essence. You may need to make a few batches to find out how much suits your tastes.

5. Mix together thoroughly then pack into a long sausage shape in cling-film. Wrap it up, and place it in the fridge for 24hours.

It may seem like a long time, and if you are in a rush you can take it out in 5 hours. However, if too short a time, the cookie may not set correctly, or be hard to handle later.

Pan/Bread

1. Sieve the plain flour and strong flour into a bowl and add the salt.

2. In a separate bowl, mix one egg with water to a weight of 100grams.

3. Add the sugar and yeast to the egg/water mixture and stir.

4. Add the egg/water/sugar/yeast mixture to the flour and mix thoroughly into a smooth dough that's not sticky. You may need to add a little more flour while mixing to take away the sticky texture.

5. Kneed the dough on the bench then place into an oven at 60degrees for 30 minutes to rise.

6. Split the dough into 9 equal parts and kneed to remove the air.

7. Leave the dough balls under a damp cloth for 30 minutes to rise a little more.

8. Kneed and fold 2 to 5 times to remove any access air, and roll into balls again.

Putting it all together...

1. Cut the melon cookie topping into 9 equal parts, and roll each one into a ball.

2. Place one ball onto a piece of cling film, and wrap the film loosely over the top. Now, roll the ball into a flat disc.

3. Unwrap the melon-disk and place a dough ball in the centre. Gently wrap the dough ball in the melon-disk leaving the bottom free.

4. Repeat this process until all 9 balls are wrapped in melon cookie.

5. Place the Melon-Pan onto a baking tray and score the tops in a cross-hatch design (#) using a plastic knife or cutter.

6. Place the Melon-Pan into the oven at 60degrees for another 15 minutes.

7. Turn the oven upto 180 degrees, and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the cookie top becomes hard and a little brown.

Your Melon-Pan should now be done. Leave it to cool a little on a wire rack, and eat. If you keep it in a sealed container, it should last 2 to 3 days. But....you probably wont leave it that long.

Enjoy.

Number 9: Tiramisu Cream Cheese Daifuku

If you have ever had Tiramisu flavour anything in England you have most likely been disappointed by a bitter rendition of what should be a delicious treat.

Tiramisu Cream Cheese Daifuku on the other hand is exactly what it says on the packet.

Traditionally Daifuku (大福) is a serving of Adzuki beanpaste wrapped in soft and sticky rice jelly. If you haven't tried Beanpaste before please don't be put off by the name. For English beanpaste conjures up images of Heinz Baked Beans mashed into a grotesque and sickening mess.

Thankfully this is not the case. Adzuki Beanpaste or Anko (あんこ）is a sweet bean mashed and boiled with sugar. Anko originated in China, but in Japan it is very popular and is placed in many foods from bread to deserts. Or in some cases just eaten as it is with a spoon.

But...that is not the point because this particular Daifuku doesn't actually have any beanpaste in it at all...

...sorry about that...

The rice jelly remains with a delicious soft texture and cradles the cream cheese within. Hidden in the centre is the tiramisu flavour presented as a sort of jam. The taste is exactly tiramisu, even with the rice jelly covering. It's not bitter or too strong, rather it's sweet and modest.

The taste lingers in your mouth for a while and right now having just eaten one, I am wondering if I should go out and get another one. It's cold outside....Tokyo might snow soon...but it might be worth it....

Number 8: Christmas Cake!

In England Christmas cake is a fruit cake with marzipan and icing. If you go to a shop and ask "Where is the Christmas cake?" you will be shown something along those lines.

In Japan however there is no "Christmas Cake." There is only Cake for Christmas.

At this time of year Japanese stores and bakeries produce some beautifully designed cakes. Many feature strawberry's. However, they are all different ranging from Sponge cake to Ice-cream cake.

My father in law ordered this delicious looking cake for us. It's chocolate sponge and ice-cream with a roll-cake added for good measure.

It was delicious, though there wasn't enough sponge or ice-cream....or cake. It was a bit small. But none the less we shared it and enjoyed every moment.

The iced characters and mushrooms were a little too sweet for this Japanese family. So I had the pleasure of eating them all.

I left Santa and the snowman until last because eating it seemed like a waste. It looked so good. Fortunately it tasted even better.

You might realize that this post was made before Christmas Day. Well done you.

Christmas is very different in Japan. For English people Christmas is a time to get together with family and exchange presents. Of course it has some religious significance too, but not being religious I am in it mostly for the family and presents.

...mostly the presents.

Like most families we all get together and have a great time until someone says something stupid and it all ends in blood and baubles.

This year though, my family are all back in England while I am in Tokyo with my wife and her family.

Christmas in Japan is more about romance and partners. Lovers like to spend the day together and exchange gifts. Maybe visit a restaurant or see the illuminations. It is a quiet time for husbands, wifes, boyfriends, girlfriends to spend the day together (or in some cases half a day with one, then half a day with the other).

To be honest I prefer English Christmas. But there is one thing I like more about Japanese Christmas: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJAyVZ8HiwE

Number 7: Wagashi 和菓子

During one of my weekly Japanese lessons I was given a selection of Wagashi (和菓子). These are a traditional Japanese confectionery served with tea.

Along with the tea, instead of a plate or dish, Wagashi are served on a piece of paper called Washi (和紙).

You can read more about the tradition and history of Wagashi on Wikipedia here.

The Wagashi are not too sweet but are certainly delicious.

The swirly grey I think is "Rakugan" (落雁) . It is hard with a powdery texture not unlike Britains "Love Hearts". The peach coloured leaf is possibly "Youkan " (羊羹). It has a hardened jelly texture and is a little sweeter than the Rakugan.

The others were not mine to eat. But other members of the class assure me that they were equally delicious.

Number 6: Melon & Melon

I found this while returning from a Job interview in Ueno. At the station is a nice little AM/PM store with the usual variety of breads, sweets and drinks. But this MelonPan stood out like a sore thumb.

Not surprisingly it delivered everything it promised on the label. Melon & Melon.

While this MelonPan does not have the usual Melon segmented cross hatching on top, it fully made up for it with it's taste. The Melon topping is a little wet and lacks sugar. It's not as crisp as some. But it's perfectly acceptable due to it's full flavour.

Inside the bread lies a pocket of MelonJam. I love MelonPan with filling ^-^

The Jam is not too sweet, and lends the bread enough moisture to keep it from being a chore to eat, saving your jaw valuable chewing action.

At only 125円 I see no reason not to get on the train and go get another one now....hey....maybe I'll see you there. ^-^

Number 5: Lemon Tea MelonPan

From a small bread shop in Tateishi (立石) I found this very delicious MelonPan.

The white outer layer was crisp and sweet with a lemon tea flavour which crumbled around me as I bit into it.

Beneath this was a deliciously soft bread. Moist as MelonPan should be.

Sandwiched between the bread and the biscuit topping however, was a hidden layer of cream. Hiding away like a sweet ninja ready to pounce and attack your taste-buds without warning.

The lemon tea is definitely a successful flavour. Go get one!