In mid-June, I usually finish my grocery shopping through an online supermarket, but that day I felt like taking a short walk and headed to a nearby market. The seasonal fruits displayed were beautiful, though a little outside my budget. Feeling slightly disappointed, I checked the discount corner—and there I found perfectly ripe American cherries. Their glossy red color immediately drew me in, and I placed them in my basket without hesitation.
After returning home and eating a few, I wondered, “What if I turn these into fruit daifuku?” That small thought encouraged me to start preparing them right away.
I began by removing the pits. Since I couldn’t find the tool I usually use, I followed another method and worked carefully so the fruit wouldn’t be crushed.
How to Pit Cherries
For the daifuku itself, I used a recipe I had been wanting to try.
The amount of Shiro-an (white bean paste) can be adjusted to your preference, so I chose an amount that felt right to me.
The paste I had was a little soft, so I microwaved it in short intervals to reduce the moisture and make it easier to shape. I rolled the Shiro-an into small balls, wrapped the cherries inside, and then wrapped them again with freshly made Gyūhi (soft mochi dough).
The finished Daifuku (mochi filled with sweet bean paste and fruit) looked small and lovely—quite satisfying for a first attempt.
Because freshly made Gyūhi is warm and very soft, letting the daifuku rest for a little while allows the chewy texture to blend gently with the cherry’s sweet-tart flavor.
Any leftover Shiro-an can be stored in the freezer, and as soon as I finished making the daifuku, I felt excited to try another kind of Wagashi (traditional Japanese confectionery).
Working with seasonal fruit always brings a quiet sense of fulfillment.