Using characteristic Japanese ingredients such as matcha, hojicha powder, yuzu, or black sesame seeds (kurogama), one can conjure up extraordinary delicacies. In my new book Patisserie At Home — The Japanese Way* (links to amazon.de. For amazon.com click here) the reader will find thirty authentic best-of recipes, which are little known outside of Japan. Whether tortes, puff pastry, desserts, or cakes, with the help of the methodically tested instructions, Japanese patisserie is easy to learn, and one can surprise yourself and his guests with unconventional sweets.

„Japanese” Patisserie?

How is Japanese patisserie different from Western patisserie? Originally, not very much, because initially most Japanese bakers of sweets followed Western recipes. Because they enjoyed experimenting, however, they refined and perfected them. Japanese desserts and baked goods are often still reminiscent of the original, but they have long since become autonomous creations, not least because their ingredients offer extraordinary aromas.

The Sweet Magic of Simple Taste

It is not, however, the ingredients alone that make Japanese patisserie special. The Japanese ideal of simple taste is particularly crucial to an exquisite result. It is the art of leaving out everything unnecessary and bringing out the unadulterated essence of an ingredient as much as possible — applying minimalism to the art of baking, as it were. Two aspects are particularly important to achieve simple taste: the quality of the ingredients and dispensing with traditional Western aromas such as vanilla and lemon.

Japanese Ingredients

It is not necessary to become an expert in Japanese ingredients bevor one starts preparing a Yuzu Sorbet, a Match Roll or a Cheesecake with Black Sesame seeds. For those who are interested, though, the introductions to the individual chapters provide helpful details about the qualities and preparation of matcha, hojicha, yuzu, and kurogoma. With the help of the recipes presented in Patisserie At Home — The Japanese Way*, you will be able to conjure up and enjoy delicacies of simple taste, whether Matcha Ice Cream, Kurogoma Pudding, or Yuzu Sorbet.

Contents of the book: The complete list