Amanatto: The Traditional Japanese Sweet Bean Candy

Amanattō [甘納豆] is a traditional Japanese sweet made from azuki beans or other beans. Amanatto is a Japanese dessert in which the beans are cooked in sugar water, then dried and coated with more sugar.

This recipe was developed around 1860, shortly after sugar became widely available throughout Japan. Before sugar, beans were used, and still are used, to sweeten Japanese desserts. The combination of sugar and beans makes the result even sweeter.

The Amanattō was developed by Hosoda Yasubei during the Bunkyū years (1861-1863) in the Edo period. He opened a wagashi shop in Tokyo, which he named after his childhood name: Eitaro. That shop is still in business today.

Not only azuki, but soybeans and other beans can be used to make amanattō, letting you create your own flavor. Amanatto is especially popular among people over 60, and in Japan it is often served with tea in nursing homes. Amanatto is also used in other recipes such as Sekihan.

The amanattō was originally called amananattō (甘名納糖), and after World War II the name was shortened to amanattō. Its similarity to the fermented soybean dish natto is just a coincidence.

Amanatto Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 package of cooked beans (preferably azuki)
• 1 cup of sugar
• 2 cups of water

Instructions:
Drain the water from the beans. Set aside.

Combine the water and sugar in a thick-bottomed pot. Bring to a boil until the sugar is completely dissolved. Turn off the heat and add the drained beans. Store the beans and syrup in a sealed jar overnight in the refrigerator.

Place in a clean, large plastic bag:
1+1/2 cups of sugar
1+1/2 tablespoons of ground cinnamon

Instructions:
Shake the sugar and cinnamon together so the ingredients are evenly mixed.

Drain the beans soaked in syrup and discard the syrup.

Place the beans in the plastic bag with the sugar and cinnamon mixture.

Twist the top of the bag and shake until all the beans are coated in sugar.

Pour this mixture into a coarse sieve and set the remaining sugar and cinnamon mixture aside.

Spread the sugared beans on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil and bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for about 30 minutes.

During this time, the beans release water and the sugar caramelizes, forming a thin caramel crust.

After that, drain the beans with a slotted spoon (or a metal sieve) and toss them in the reserved sugar and cinnamon mixture until fully coated. Let cool completely.

When cool, store in tightly sealed jars.

Recipe source: chocolatria.com