Matsuri Ame - how are these made?

[MoGa]

The classic kind is anzu ame (あんず飴), but I have seen them with strawberries, grape varieties and other fruits.

I'd love to have a stab at making these for an event promoting Japanese culture.

The block of ice they are served from is daunting but doable. Am considering edible wafers for the patrons to use as plates (failing that, perhaps cup cake foils)

Biggest hurdle is having absolutely no idea of the ingredients nor method needed to produce these confections.

Can anyone help?

[helenjp]

There are two types - the toffee-apple type, and the dip-type. The dip-type has one disadvantage - if not consumed pretty much on the spot, there is nothing to stop the cut fruit and syrup combo from fermenting on a hot day.

Fruit - ideally something with a sharpish tang, and/or marinaded in sweetened vinegar. Cut into bite-size pieces and insert a skewer (not too sharp, if serving to children). Strawberries look pretty, but they can easily go mushy when dipped into very hot liquid candy - practice run might help! Canned fruit needs to be well drained.

 

SUGAR　&　SYRUP HARD CANDY COATING TYPE

5 parts sugar (weight)
1 part corn syrup or mizu-ame (20% of sugar by weight, that is)
1 part water (main purpose is to make sure the sugar dissolves - more water means less danger of crystallization, but also longer cooking time))

Stir sugar and water very well together, heat till at least 140 deg. C. , preferably 150 deg. C.

Dip fruit and cool as rapidly as possible (ice, fan, etc.) so that fruit doesn't continue to cook and shed liquid inside the candy coating.


MIZU-AME SOFT CANDY DIP TYPE
Drained fruit, cut and skewered
Block of ice with depressions made with a hot spoon
Mizu-ame
Spoon mizuame over skewered fruit, drain excess briefly before transferring to ice,
Pass to customers on a monaka (wafer) shell or ice-cream cone.

You can color the mizu-ame, add sprinkles....http://ima.goo.ne.jp/column/article/1513.html go crazy!


NERI-AME
The type of soft candy that is served on two sticks, which you spin around until the candy is thickened and aerated. It *should* be pure mizu-ame (violently colored and flavored if possible!!!) but I suspect it often has cornstarch and candied sugar syrup as well - don't have any recipe, sorry.

[MoGa]

Thank you!

The mizu ame is the ingredient of anzu ame that I have no idea how to make.

I didn't know the name of it but it is exactly what I am looking for help in producing for myself.

I'm now in London, so it's not something I can just pick up over here (my assumption at least).

Am prepared for drips and knew about the ice. Only thing I could come up with was a suggestion in cookpad to use honey, but I was hoping to learn how the mizu ame in festivals was made.

[MoGa]

Or perhaps I can get it here.

Does this seem like the same stuff?

http://www.japan-foods.co.uk/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=10706

[helenjp]

That's the stuff. Corn syrup is likely too light. You might be able to find stuff called "rice malt" or "barley malt" in health food stores. It wouldn't be clear but would probably work.

[MoGa]

Rice malt syrup is sold by Clearspring in the UK, but it's far too dark and has the wrong taste. My husband loves mizu ame but hates the deep coloured malt syrups available here (I use them for baking).

Thanks for your guidance. If I can't get the mizu ame (turns out that there's a stiff £10 delivery charge for the product in the link I gave) I might try mixing clear corn syrup and this lighter rice syrup.

http://www.biona.co.uk/product-289-4.html

Anyway, I think I'm more or less on the right track now. Thanks for your help in getting me there!