Nerikiri Wagashi Class at Jelly Bean Cake and Dessert

A few months ago, I attended a Nerikiri Wagashi class at Jelly Bean Cake and Dessert on 3336 Yonge St, in Toronto. If it weren’t for Instagram, I wouldn’t have discovered this amazing bakery that made these delicious Japanese and Korean desserts. Just looking at the photos of the cute little cakes shaped like flowers made me want to try making them myself.

What is Nerikiri Wagashi?

Wagashi is a broad term used to describe traditional Japanese confections that are typically enjoyed with green tea. Wagashi translates to “Japanese sweets” or “Japanese snacks”.” There are many variations of wagashi, but the most common types of wagashi include mochi, daifuku, nerikiri, and rakugan.

What was the Nerikiri Wagashi Class like?

Even though I was the only person who attended the class, I enjoyed the one-on-one attention. For 2.5 hours, I made 18 nerikiri desserts and boy was it hard — but I loved every minute of it.  Making these delicious Nerikiri Wagashi desserts made me think of my childhood hobby: making miniature flowers and desserts out of playdough.  I learnt how to make nerikiri dough and molded cute little desserts shaped like persimmons and cherry blossoms. The chef even showed me how to use the wooden triangle stick and crafting tools to craft these delicate Japanese confections. It took a few tries to master the wooden triangle stick because my clumsy hand couldn’t carve the delicate petals evenly on the dough. Apparently, I had to use my wrist to ensure the accuracy of the lines.

I had a lot of fun making these Japanese desserts with the guidance of the instructor — she was patient and explained everything in detail. In the end, my hard work paid off; I had 18 Instagram-worthy flowers and persimmons. Not bad for a beginner. I tasted them and they completely satisfied my sweet tooth. The ingredients are really hard to get so I highly recommend just ordering these desserts online instead of making them at home. Plus, you get to enjoy them faster and share them with friends.