Looking for some Japanese desserts in Singapore? You’ve come to the right place.
While most of us are eagerly anticipating news of Japan’s VTL with Singapore (after all, the country remains to be one of the top holiday destinations for Singaporeans), we’re settling for some of the country’s sweet treats instead.
Japanese desserts are so much more than the standard mochi. Take wagashi for instance. Wagashi — loosely translated to mean Japanese sweets — refers to traditional confections that are typically enjoyed with green tea. These pieces feature a diverse range of beautiful and intricate designs, and the ingredients used are usually seasonal in nature.
Japanese desserts aren’t limited to traditional ones either. The culinary connection between Japan and France started taking root during the Meiji restoration era, and there has been a steady boom of Japanese chefs dabbling in French cuisine since 1960s. This trend, of course, trickled down to desserts and pastries. Today, it isn’t uncommon to relate the French parfait to a Japanese treat, adapted with ingredients like matcha and dango.
This week, we’re spotlighting a whole range of Japanese desserts, from the traditional Wagashi best had with a warm cup of tea, to a Japanese-French style pastries for a sweet afternoon treat. Read on for the full list.
Here’s where to get the best Japanese desserts in Singapore:
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Seasonal French pastries meets Japanese sensibility here at Ami Patisserie. The online store is helmed by none other than Chef Makoto Arami, formerly of Michelin-starred restaurants Alain Ducasse Tokyo, Restaurant Ryuzu, and Beni Restaurant. As attractive as the Mont Blanc Tart and the Tahitian Vanilla Burnt Cheesecake might be, our attention is directed to his array of choux pastries. For autumn, some of the delightful new flavours include Smoked Caramel & Coffee, Apple Tatin with Earl Grey, and Pear & Yuzu. The trio can be found in the assorted choux box or ordered individually.
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If you’re a fan of Japanese anime and manga, you should be familiar with Kohakuto, also known as amber candy. The gorgeous gem-like candies aren’t your typically hard candies; think a crisp rock candy outer, and a jelly-like interior once you bite into them. The selection at Project Panichi is inspired by the owner’s own Singaporean-Japanese heritage, and includes flavours like Pulut Inti and Lychee Osmanthus Jasmine. Orders have to be made in advance as every piece is lovingly handcrafted to order.
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Local brand Love For Wagashi creates freshly made handcrafted nerikiri, a type of wagashi that’s made with sweetened white bean paste and glutinous rice flour. As traditional Japanese confectioneries can be quite sweet, they’ve kindly tweaked the recipes here to be 50 percent lower in sugar, in line with the growing trend of healthier diets.
To cater to more diners, the treats at Love For Wagashi are also vegan, gluten-free, and halal-friendly. Did we mention these made-to-order treats contain no preservatives or artificial colouring?
Island-wide delivery is available at a neat S$9.
(Image credit: @madhanrui via Instagram)
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If you’re looking for another spot that serves wagashi, look no further. Minamoto Kitchoan has made a name for itself with its seasonal wagashi, manufactured in their factories in Japan. The goal? To protect the art and to promote traditional Japanese confectionery to more diners across the globe. While you’ll be able to order some of their products online, we suggest making a trip down to the store to enjoy the full range of desserts. This autumn, we’re particularly excited for the Suikanshuku, a whole dried persimmon that’s stuffed with sweet white bean paste.
(Image credit: @minamoto_kitchoan via Instagram)
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Matcha lovers, rejoice! 108 Matcha Saro, which originally hails from the wintry island of Hokkaido, is best known for their range of matcha-based obanyaki, soft-serve ice cream, and beverages. While the matcha soft serve parfaits remain ever so popular in Singapore’s toasty weather, we suggest making a beeline for some of their warabi mochi. The chewy treat looks simple enough, but only experienced dessert-makers know that it takes years of practice and skills to achieve the perfect sticky, jelly-like consistency.
Love matcha? Click here for all the desserts based on the superfood.
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Baristart Coffee’s sweet treats have enamoured countless of dessert lovers who’ve visited the cafe since its opening in 2019. One signature item on the menu? The luscious Cream Puff, a large, crisp cream puff that’s stuffed with velvety Hokkaido BIEI Jersey Milk custard. The brains behind the desserts here is none other than Hokkaido-native Emi Sasaki, who has been in the confectionary scene for more than 16 years.