Yōkan (羊羹) is a wagashi that’s basically a type of jelly.
In its most common recipe, it consists of agar (a jelly made from algae), red bean paste, and sugar.
While it can be made into any shape, it is often sold as a block so that one can cut it into pieces.
There are three main types of yōkan: neri yōkan (standard), mizu yōkan (more water content and hence softer), and mushi yōkan (doesn’t use agar, and it is steamed).
If it’s just named yōkan, it’s often neri yōkan.
Besides the normal ingredients, yōkan can also be made with: green tea, black tea, coffee, white miso, white bean paste, chestnut, walnut, sesame, potato, sweet potato, pumpkin, and salt, among others.
One advantage of yōkan is that it has a long shelf life. So unlike many wagashi, it doesn’t need to be fresh.
If you’re interested in trying one, here’s a link from one that I can recommend in Amazon.
Of course, it contains matcha 🙂
