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This flaky Japanese pastry known as yaki manju can be filled with sweet red bean, lima bean, sweet potato, etc. #japanese #hawaiian #yakimanju #manju #redbean

Yaki Manju

Yaki manju is a flaky, buttery Japanese dessert filled with sweet beans.
Course Dessert
Cuisine Japanese
Keyword dairy-free, lima beans, manju, nut-free, pastry, red beans, vegetarian
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 24 manju
Calories 190 kcal

Ingredients

  • 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 cup canola oil
  • 5 tablespoons ice water
  • 1 package tsubuan, tsubushian or koshian divided into 24 pieces
  • 1 large egg yolk beaten with 1 teaspoon water

Instructions

  1. Mix the flour, sugar and salt.

  2. Mix the oil and water (don't worry if it doesn't combine- it's oil and water). Add to the flour and mix until well blended. It will seem pretty wet and oily. If you have time: refrigerate this for 15-30 minutes before assembling the manju so the dough is firmer and easier to work with (rather than mush that sticks to your hands).

  3. Divide the dough into 24 pieces.

    Divide the yaki manju dough into 24 pieces, then roll each portion into a ball. #japanese #hawaiian #yakimanju #manju #redbean

  4. Using 1 piece of dough at a time, flatten it in your palm. 

    Flatten the ball of yaki manju dough in the palm of your hand. #japanese #hawaiian #yakimanju #manju #redbean

  5.  Place 1 heaping teaspoon tsubushian or koshian in the center. Wrap the dough (don’t worry if it breaks or isn’t smooth- you can patch it together) around the red bean paste until you can only see the dough.

    Place a heaping teaspoon of sweet red bean in the center of the yaki manju dough before you coax the dough over and around the tsubuan / tsubushian / koshian. #japanese #hawaiian #yakimanju #manju #redbean

  6. Flatten slightly and place on a baking sheet (they don’t spread much, so you can place them close together). Brush with egg wash. If you’d like, sprinkle with sesame seeds. Refrigerate the pans while you wait for the oven to preheat.

    Place the yaki manju on your baking sheet, brush with egg wash (or not if you want to keep it vegan) and sprinkle with sesame seeds! #japanese #hawaiian #yakimanju #manju #redbean

  7. Bake at 400F for 30-35 minutes, or until golden brown. Don't freak out if they're a little cracked and crumbly; they're still delicious. Cool slightly, then move to a baking rack to cool completely. The manju will keep at room temperature for 1 week.

Recipe Notes

From my Aunty Lily.

Keep the dough as cold as you can! Using cold oil (I try to measure it out and put it in the fridge for 10-15 minutes before using) and refrigerating the dough once it’s mixed makes this dough firmer and easier to use when you’re trying to encase the red bean paste.

You can ignore the egg wash if you're keeping these vegan.