UNOHANA YAKI (Flower Custard)

Ingredients

• 2 ounces Kanton (Japanese gelatine / agar-agar) (Kanton is a traditional Japanese agar-agar made from seaweed. Modern agar-agar powder or bars found in Asian grocery stores are a direct substitute. Do not use Western leaf gelatine — agar sets firmer and at room temperature, which is correct for this recipe.)
• 6 whole eggs eggs (You will use the whites of 5 eggs for the pink custard and the yolks of the remaining eggs for the yellow custard. Separate them carefully over a bowl so no yolk gets into the whites.)
• 3 tablespoons cherry syrup (Use a commercially available cherry syrup (such as the type sold for cocktails or ice cream). This gives the pink custard both its colour and its sweet, fruity flavour.)
• 1 ounce goma seeds (sesame seeds) (Goma is the Japanese word for sesame seeds. Black sesame seeds are traditional and give the best visual contrast as flower centres, but white sesame seeds may also be used.)
• 0.5 pint (approximately 285 ml) coconut milk (Used only in the yellow custard variation. Full-fat canned coconut milk gives the richest result. Shake the can well before opening.)

Instructions

1. 1Before you begin cooking, gather the following tools: a medium saucepan, a heatproof mixing bowl, a whisk or electric hand mixer, flower-shaped jelly or silicone moulds, and a ladle or pouring jug. Lightly rinse the insides of your flower-shaped moulds with cold water — do not dry them. This thin film of water will help the set custards release cleanly later. Set the moulds aside on a flat tray so they are ready to fill quickly when the time comes.
2. 2Place the 2 ounces of Kanton (agar-agar) into your medium saucepan. If using agar-agar bars, break or cut them into small pieces first so they dissolve more easily. Add enough cold water to just cover the agar — approximately 1 cup (240 ml) is a good starting point. Place the saucepan over a low heat and stir continuously with a wooden spoon or heatproof spatula until the agar is completely dissolved and the liquid is clear with no visible lumps or strands. This is an important step: undissolved agar will result in a lumpy or grainy custard. Once fully dissolved, keep the liquid warm over the very lowest heat while you prepare the eggs.
3. 3Carefully separate all 6 eggs, placing the whites in one large clean bowl and the yolks in a separate bowl. To separate an egg: crack it on the edge of a bowl, hold it over the bowl, and pass the yolk back and forth between the two shell halves, letting the white fall into the bowl below. Even a small drop of yolk in the whites will prevent them from whipping properly, so work carefully. You will use the whites of 5 eggs for the pink custard and the yolks for the yellow custard. The sixth egg white is not used in this recipe — you may set it aside for another use.
4. 4Using a whisk or electric hand mixer, whip the 5 egg whites in their bowl until they form soft, frothy peaks — the mixture should be pale, airy, and significantly increased in volume. You do not need stiff peaks as you would for a meringue; a light, foamy consistency is what you are aiming for. Once whipped, pour the warm dissolved agar liquid in a slow, steady stream into the egg whites while whisking continuously. This prevents the hot agar from cooking the whites in clumps. Keep whisking as you pour until the mixture is fully combined and uniform.
5. 5Transfer the egg white and agar mixture back into the saucepan. Place it over a slow (low) heat and stir gently but continuously. Add the 3 tablespoons of cherry syrup and stir it through. Keep stirring as the mixture heats — you will see it become more fluid and uniform in colour, turning a soft pink. Continue to cook over low heat, stirring, until the mixture just comes to a boil (you will see small bubbles breaking the surface). Do not leave it unattended and do not let it boil vigorously, as this can cause the egg whites to curdle. Remove from the heat as soon as it reaches boiling point.
6. 6Working quickly and with a light, steady hand, ladle or pour the hot pink custard mixture into your prepared flower-shaped moulds. Fill each mould close to the top. Speed is important here because agar begins to set as it cools — if you are making variegated (two-colour) custards, you will need to leave half the moulds with only partially filled pink custard and then top with yellow custard later (see step 9). For plain pink custards, fill the moulds completely. Once filled, set the tray of moulds aside at room temperature and allow to cool until fully solid. Agar sets at room temperature — you do not need to refrigerate the moulds, though chilling will speed up the process. Allow at least 1–2 hours at room temperature, or 30–45 minutes in the refrigerator.
7. 7While the pink custard sets (or before, if making only yellow custards), prepare the yellow custard. In the cleaned saucepan, dissolve any remaining agar if needed — for this recipe the same batch of dissolved agar from step 2 is used across both colours, so if you have already dissolved all the agar, the yellow custard uses the portion not used in the pink mixture. Beat the egg yolks lightly in their bowl with a fork until smooth. Add the half pint (approximately 285 ml) of coconut milk to the yolks and whisk together until combined. Pour this yolk and coconut milk mixture into the saucepan with the warm agar liquid, stirring to combine. Place over a low heat and stir continuously until the mixture just comes to a boil, then immediately remove from heat. The mixture will be a pale, creamy yellow colour.
8. 8Just as with the pink custard, pour the hot yellow custard mixture quickly and lightly into your remaining flower-shaped moulds. If making variegated (two-colour) custards, pour the yellow custard over the partially set pink layer already in the moulds — work fast, as the agar sets quickly. Fill the moulds to the top. Allow to set at room temperature for 1–2 hours, or in the refrigerator for 30–45 minutes, until fully solid.
9. 9Once the custards are fully solid, it is time to unmould them. Place a large flat plate or serving platter face-down on top of one mould, then quickly flip both together. Gently press the base of the mould and lift it away — the custard should drop cleanly onto the plate thanks to the water you applied to the mould in step 1. Repeat for each mould. The recipe suggests placing the custards on large leaves on a plate for a traditional Japanese presentation — suitable edible or decorative leaves, such as banana leaves, would be ideal. Decorate the centre of each flower-shaped custard with a pinch of goma (sesame) seeds to represent the dark centre of a flower. If you have made variegated custards with both pink and yellow layers, they will already have a decorative two-tone appearance. Serve immediately or keep chilled until ready to serve.