Hello everyone,
This is Ishibashi from our Kyoto store.
Happy New Year! Thank you as always for your love of ume, and I look forward to sharing more ume moments with you in 2026.
To welcome the new year, I’d like to introduce a recipe for Ume Hanabira Mochi, made with ume fruit in the filling.
Every year, when hanabira mochi appear in the shops, I feel the fresh joy of the new year and enjoy tasting the different styles from various stores. Among them, my favorite is the Kyoto-style version filled with sweet white miso paste, burdock root, and carrot.
Though it takes a little time and care, this celebratory sweet is traditionally enjoyed as a symbol of longevity. I hope you’ll join me in making it to welcome a bright and joyful year ahead.
■Sweet-simmered burdock & carrot
- 10cm burdock root
- 1/4 of a 10cm carrot
- 70ml water
- 50g granulated sugar
- 3 infused ume
- 70g white miso
- 12g regular miso
- 35g jōyō flour (refined rice flour)
- 25g shiratamako (glutinous rice flour)
- 90ml water
- 60g granulated sugar
- A little potato starch (for dusting)
1.【Sweet-simmered burdock & carrot】
Boil the burdock for 45 minutes and the carrot for 15 minutes, then cut into 10cm strips.
2.Place water and sugar in a frying pan and bring to a boil. Add Step 1, simmer for 3 minutes, then turn off the heat. Cover with a sheet of cooking paper placed directly on top. Let soak in syrup for 2 hours, then drain.
3.【Ume miso paste】
Remove the pits from the infused ume and chop the flesh.
4.Warm the white miso in the microwave (500W, 2 minutes). Mix with Step 3 and regular miso, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate.
5.【Gyūhi (soft mochi dough)】
Mix jōyō flour and shiratamako, then add water gradually, stirring well.
Tip: Add the water in several portions to avoid lumps.
6. Add granulated sugar to Step 5 and mix. Microwave uncovered at 500W for 1.5 minutes, then stir. Repeat this process twice.
7.Finally, cover with plastic wrap and microwave again at 500W for 1.5 minutes, then mix well.
8.Divide into 30g portions, roll into balls, then flatten into ovals with a rolling pin.
Tip: Best size is approx. 10cm long × 7cm wide.
9.Place 15g of ume miso paste in the center, shape into a small log, and add the burdock and carrot strips on top.
10.Fold the mochi over to enclose the filling. Finished!
Freshly made Ume Hanabira Mochi is soft and delicately sweet, with a gentle tartness from the ume. Please welcome the new year with this auspicious seasonal treat.