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Purin is a small dessert cup of sweet Japanese custard pudding with a caramel topping that you're likely to find in a Japanese convenience store. You would be surprised to know that the name "Purin" is derived from the word "pudding," but it is not the same as the gooey pudding popular in the United States. It has a firmer texture, similar to Mexican flan, and is topped with caramel sauce. It's a simple sweet, silky, creamy, rich, smooth and served chilled and adored in Japan. Purin is a traditional Japanese dessert.
Custard has been a popular ingredient in Japanese yogashi, or Western-style sweets, since the Meiji era (1868-1912). Japanese custard has been used as a filling in everything from taiyaki to Tokyo Banana over the years, but its most popular use today is unquestionably Purin.
Puddings like Boston creme, vanilla, and chocolate are more popular in America than the British-style custard-based flan. But the simple, delicious custard version is a hit in Japan. Purin, along with coffee jelly, has been a popular dessert in cafes throughout Japan since the Meiji period. Purin became one of the most popular and mass-produced prepackaged dessert options during the postwar economic boom. Purin is a popular snack among Japanese children, and it has a strong nostalgic appeal.
The obsession of the Japanese doesn’t just end with Purin. Chawanmushi, a savoury Japanese pudding served as an appetiser in Japanese restaurants, is another popular custard dish. This subtle, sophisticated custard treat is built on an egg custard base to create a quintessentially Japanese dish that incorporates a versatile range of ingredients and is bursting with umami flavour. Best of all, both Purin and chawanmushi are simple to prepare at home, requiring only a few basic ingredients and little preparation time. Being this easy to make is one of the core reasons why these desserts have gotten so popular. Also, cold Japanese Purin tastes the best.
Varieties Of Purin
Aside from the standard Purin, there are two other varieties- Yaki Purin and Mushi Purin. Yaki Purin is an oven-baked pudding, it is quite simple and undoubtedly loved by people. Unlike Yaki Purin, where the pudding is oven-baked, Mushi Purin is made by steaming it.
Purin can also be found in a variety of flavours, including matcha, sweet potato, and pumpkin. These are fun to experiment with for variety and aren't much more difficult to make than regular pudding. In the case of matcha, all you need to add to the green tea flavour is matcha powder.
