Yaki Manju: Gunma's Grilled Sweet and a Home-Style Recipe

Yaki manju is one of Gunma's best-known sweets. In its traditional form, it is usually a skewer of buns brushed with sweet miso sauce and grilled until lightly charred. The recipe below follows a softer home-style version with azuki bean filling, which keeps the dessert easy to make while still pointing back to the same Japanese wagashi tradition.

Manju has a long history in Japanese confectionery and comes in many regional variations. Some are steamed, some are baked, and some are grilled over charcoal. Yaki manju stands out because of its flavor, its smoky finish and the strong connection it has with Gunma.

There are many other manju variations too, from mizu manju to matcha versions and fried sweets on a stick. That variety is part of what makes this kind of dessert so easy to enjoy in different seasons and regions.

Yaki Manju Recipe

If you want to make a simple version at home, this recipe is a good starting point. It uses a soft dough and a sweet azuki bean filling.

Dough

• 1/2 cup of sugar
• 2 eggs
• 100 g melted margarine
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 cups wheat flour

Filling

• 1 cup washed and drained azuki beans
• 1 cup sugar
• Salt to taste

Glaze

• 1 egg yolk
• 1 teaspoon corn syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon soy sauce

How to Make the Dough

1. In a bowl, mix the sugar, eggs and margarine.
2. Sift the wheat flour and baking powder.
3. Add the dry ingredients to the sugar and egg mixture.
4. Mix well. The dough should be soft but firm enough to shape without sticking too much.
5. Shape small portions of dough in the palm of your hand, forming a small log.
6. Fill with one small ball of bean paste.
7. Shape another small log of dough and place it on top of the filling.
8. Press the edges to seal the bun well.
9. Trim the excess with a round cutter so the buns stay uniform.
10. Place the buns on a greased and floured baking sheet, leaving about 2 cm of space between them.
11. Brush the surface with the glaze made from egg yolk, corn syrup and soy sauce.
12. Bake in a medium oven, preheated to 200°C, for about 25 minutes or until the surface is lightly golden.

How to Make the Filling

1. Cook the beans in a pressure cooker with 4 cups of water for about 30 minutes after the pressure starts.
2. Release the pressure, drain the beans and pass them through a sieve, mashing well until you get a paste.
3. In a saucepan, combine the bean puree, sugar and a pinch of salt.
4. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the sweet detaches from the bottom of the pan.
5. Pour onto a plate and let cool.
6. Using a teaspoon, roll into small balls and set aside.

Tips: if the dough is too soft, add a little more wheat flour. The more flour you add, the less delicate the dough becomes. This recipe can also be frozen: wrap the cooled preparation in plastic wrap or a sealing bag, label it and place it in the freezer.

Recipe adapted from Panela Velha and Cibercook.