Mitarashi Dango Crème Brûlée

Mitarashi dango are traditional Japanese rice dumplings glazed with a sweet-salty soy sauce caramel, sold at festival stalls across Japan since the Heian period. This modern-fusion dessert captures those iconic flavours in a silky baked custard finished with a crackled sugar crust.

Serves: 4

Ingredients

Custard

• 300ml (1 1/4 cups) heavy cream
• 100ml (7 tbsp) whole milk
• 4 egg yolks
• 60g (5 tbsp) caster sugar
• 2 tbsp (30ml) soy sauce
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 4 tsp caster sugar, for bruléeing

Dango (makes 8 small dumplings)

• 100g (3/4 cup) shiratamako (glutinous rice flour)
• 80ml (5 tbsp) warm water
• 2 tbsp (30ml) soy sauce
• 1 tbsp (15ml) mirin
• 1 tbsp (15g) sugar
• 1 tsp cornstarch dissolved in 1 tsp water

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 150°C (300°F). Mix shiratamako and warm water to a smooth dough. Roll into 8 walnut-sized balls. Boil in salted water until they float, then cook 2 minutes more. Transfer to cold water, drain.
2. Combine soy sauce, mirin, sugar and cornstarch slurry in a small saucepan. Heat over medium, stirring, until thickened and glossy, about 3 minutes. Toss dango in the glaze.
3. Warm cream and milk together until just steaming. Whisk yolks, sugar, soy sauce and vanilla until smooth. Slowly pour warm cream into yolk mixture while whisking constantly.
4. Strain custard through a fine sieve into four 150ml (5 oz) ramekins. Arrange 2 glazed dango beside or atop each. Place ramekins in a deep baking tray, add boiling water to halfway up the sides. Bake 35-40 minutes until just set with a slight wobble.
5. Cool, then refrigerate at least 2 hours. Sprinkle 1 tsp sugar per ramekin and brûlée with a kitchen torch until amber and crackled. Serve immediately.

Cook's Notes: The soy sauce adds umami depth without tasting savoury — do not skip it. If shiratamako is unavailable, mochiko works similarly. Custards can be prepared a day ahead up to the brûlée step.