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Glossy dark red yokan squares stacked on a black plate beside a bowl of matcha and a wooden tray

Yokan Red Bean Jelly: Silky Japanese Kanten Dessert

A firm, glossy Japanese jelly made from red bean paste, sugar, and agar, set in a loaf pan and sliced into clean squares.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 55 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Japanese
Calories: 180
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 4 g agar agar powder (about 1 1/2 tsp); use powder, not flakes, for accurate measuring, flakes need roughly double the amount and a longer boil
  • 300 ml water
  • 100 g granulated sugar adjust down to 80 g if your red bean paste is already very sweet
  • 400 g koshian (smooth sweetened red bean paste) store-bought canned is fine, or homemade, use smooth koshian for the classic glassy finish
  • 1 pinch salt (about 1/8 tsp); sharpens the sweetness, don't skip it

Method
 

  1. Line a 21 x 11 cm / 8 x 4-inch loaf pan with plastic wrap, leaving a few inches of overhang on the long sides.
  2. Whisk the agar powder into the water in a 2-quart saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, whisking often, then lower the heat and simmer for 2 minutes until the agar is fully dissolved, no gritty specks left when you rub a drop between your fingers.
  3. Add the sugar and salt. Stir for about 1 minute until fully dissolved.
  4. Reduce the heat to low. Add the red bean paste in two batches, whisking each addition in completely before adding more, until the mixture is smooth with no lumps.
  5. Simmer gently for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring constantly, until the mixture turns glossy and coats the back of a spoon thickly.
  6. Pour the mixture into the prepared loaf pan right away, agar starts to firm up within minutes of coming off the heat. Tap the pan on the counter a few times to pop air bubbles.
  7. Cool at room temperature for 30 minutes, then cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, until firm and set. It should spring back gently when you press it, not jiggle loosely.
  8. Lift the yokan out of the pan using the plastic overhang and set it on a cutting board.
  9. Slice into 8 rectangles, about 2.5 cm / 1 inch thick, using a knife dipped in hot water and wiped dry between cuts for clean edges.

Notes

  • Agar sets at room temperature, unlike gelatin which needs a cold fridge.
  • Grainy texture almost always means the agar didn't boil long enough.
  • Smooth koshian gives the classic glassy finish, chunky tsubuan looks rustic instead.
  • Work fast once agar is dissolved, it starts firming within minutes off heat.