Today I’m sharing a somewhat unique cream recipe, which I prepared at my daughter’s request, the red bean Anko jam Japanese recipe that’s made with red azuki beans and is used to fill many sweets like dorayaki (soft pancakes).
Perfect for breakfast or snack time!
Practically, Anko jam is the most common filling used in many Japanese desserts, they use it a lot in various desserts in a coarser and rustic form for some and very finely pureed for other pastries.
I made the finer pureed jam, you might wonder what it tastes like?
The taste is sweet, a mix similar to chestnuts and sweet potatoes, I must say I tasted it in dorayaki and I liked it a lot.
Red Azuki Beans are the most used legumes in Japan, boasting numerous nutritional properties that make them an excellent ally for health.
Unfortunately, in Italy, they are still not well known and thus not widely used in our cuisine.
In reality, however, they are not difficult to find; they can be bought in specialized organic food stores or online on various sites.
TRY THESE RECIPES TO PAIR WITH THIS DELICIOUS JAM
- Difficulty: Medium
- Cost: Economical
- Rest time: 12 Hours
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 5 jars
- Cooking methods: Slow cooking
- Cuisine: Japanese
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients for the Red Bean Jam
- 17.6 oz red bean anko
- 2 cups brown sugar
- as needed water
Tools
- 1 Bowl
- 1 Pot
- 1 Strainer
- 1 Immersion Blender
- 5 Jars
- 1 Stove
Steps for Cooking Red Beans
For the preparation of the jam, wash the beans well under running water and then let them soak overnight. (about 12 hours)
The next morning, wash again several times to remove impurities, pour into a pot
(better if it’s a pressure cooker to speed up cooking) cover the beans with water and bring to a boil.
With a skimmer, remove the foam that forms, then drain, rinse to remove some bitterness, cover again with about 4 inches of water – and let simmer for about 2 hours over medium heat with a lid on.
At the end of cooking, the beans should be soft, if they have water drain them again, pour back into the pot, add the sugar and bring to cooking.
When the sugar starts to dissolve, they will become more watery, let it absorb slowly until the consistency is more or less like jelly.
Blend the jam with an immersion blender to make it creamy, pour into clean and sterilized glass jars.
Close the jars well with screw caps, then put them in a pot with very hot water and bring to a boil for another 10 minutes, this will create a vacuum and keep the jar tightly closed.
Once ready, date and store this red bean jam in a cool, dry place.
The jam is best enjoyed with dorayaki, spread between two soft pancakes!
Storage and Tips
The jam with the vacuum seal KEEPS FOR OVER 3 MONTHS
Once opened, store the jar in the fridge and consume within a week.
If you prefer to flavor the jam, you can add vanilla.
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Questions and Answers
Where can I buy red azuki beans?
You can find them in ethnic stores or buy them online red bean anko
Can I use other types of beans?
You can make a different version using cannellini beans which have a sweet flavor.
Can I flavor the jam?
The original recipe does not include flavors, but if you prefer, you can use vanilla or something else according to your taste.
