Raindrop cake
| |
Type | Dessert |
---|---|
Place of origin | Japan |
Main ingredients | Water, agar |
Raindrop cake is a dessert made of water and agar that resembles a raindrop. It first became popular in Japan in 2014, and later gained international attention.
History
Originally a Japanese dessert known as mizu shingen mochi (水信玄餅), the dish was first created by Kinseiken Seika Company in Yamanashi Prefecture near Tokyo, Japan in 2014.[1] Mizu means water and shingen mochi is a type of sweet rice cake (mochi) made by the Kinseiken company.[2] The year prior in 2013, the creator wanted to explore the idea of making edible water.[2] The dessert became a viral sensation and people made special trips to experience the dish.[1]
Darren Wong introduced the dish to the United States in New York City at the April 2016 Smorgasburg food fair.[1][3][4] Shortly after, London restaurant Yamagoya worked four months to develop another version.[1]
Description
The dish is made from mineral water and agar; thus, it has practically no calories.[1][3][4] The water from the original dish was obtained from Mount Kaikoma of the Southern Japanese Alps, and it has been described as having a sweet taste.[2] The agar is a vegetarian/vegan alternative to gelatin that is made from seaweed.[3][5] After being heated, it is molded and cooled.[3] A molasses-like syrup, called kuromitsu, and soybean flour, called kinako, are used as toppings.[1][3][4] The dish appears like a transparent raindrop, although it has also been compared to breast implants and jellyfish.[1][3] The largely tasteless dessert melts when it enters the mouth and it must be eaten immediately or it will melt and begin to evaporate after twenty minutes.[4][1]
The dessert is also sold in kits to be made at home.[5] It has been showcased on The Today Show, BuzzFeed and ABC News.[5]
See also
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Maitland, Hayley (2018-08-14). "Everything You Need To Know About Raindrop Cakes". British Vogue. Retrieved 2018-08-16.
- 1 2 3 "Mizu Shingen Mochi: Water You Can Eat?". Japan Info. Retrieved 2018-08-16.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 "What is a Raindrop Cake – How to Make a Raindrop Cake". Delish. 2018-03-13. Retrieved 2018-08-16.
- 1 2 3 4 Strutner, Suzy; Aiken, Kristen (2016-03-31). "Get Ready, This Magical Raindrop Cake Is Coming To America". HuffPost. Retrieved 2018-08-16.
- 1 2 3 "Raindrop Cake Making Kit". Raindrop Cake. 2017-08-08. Retrieved 2018-08-16.
External links
Media related to Raindrop cake at Wikimedia Commons