Anmitsu Recipe

Anmitsu is a traditional Japanese cold dessert, a bowl of jelly cubes made from agar (a substance derived from seaweed, “Kanten” in Japanese) topped with Anko (sweet red bean paste) and simple syrup. Anmitsu is loved by many, especially older generations in Japan, for its light, refreshing taste even with sweet Anko, and its visually appealing presentation showcasing cool translucent agar cubes. This chilled sweet is very soothing during hot and humid summers, and a nice afternoon treat to cool down.

Anmitsu is precisely a combination of “Mitsumame,” which is agar jelly or Kanten cubes and red peas (Aka Endo) in syrup, and Anko sweet red beans. You can still find simpler forms of Mitsumame, but Anmitsu or other versions of the same dessert are more preferred today. Anmitsu usually includes everything in Mitsumame, Anko, and a couple of kinds of fruits. If ice cream is added, it’s called Cream Anmitsu, and when seasonal fresh fruits are added, it’s called Fruits Anmitsu. The combinations you can get are just up to the shops, but you can choose anything you like when you make it at home. If you want something chewy, you can add small pieces of Sweet Mochi or hearty Dango. You can also make Matcha Anmitsu by dissolving a tablespoon or so of matcha powder in the syrup.

We omit red peas, which should be in both Anmitsu and Mitsumame, because they are hard to find outside Japan, and we think Anko red beans have enough bean flavor to compensate for the lack of red peas. You may find the agar jelly rather tasteless, but it should be enjoyed more for its texture and cool temperature than its flavor. The other components like Anko and sweet syrup add enough sweetness, so enjoy the whole combination.

Anmitsu may seem a little old-fashioned as a dessert, and it looks a little more intimidating than western-influenced Japanese cakes for some people. In terms of its flavor though, it’s just simple sugar syrup with fruits and sweet red bean paste. If you like Anko, you would love this cool dessert for sure. If you don’t care for Anko, skip it and add some vanilla ice cream, and you will enjoy the agar jelly’s interesting and refreshing texture. Hope you give it a try!