The Choice of Raw Materials Determines the Finish of Wagashi Jelly
和菓子のゼリーは、凝固剤に何を選ぶかで仕上がりが変わります。
寒天、ゼラチン、アガー。それぞれに個性があり、選び方ひとつで食感も透明感も、まるで別物に変わります。原料ごとの性質と、濃度・糖・加熱の条件が透明感にどう効くかを押さえれば、狙った食感と透明感に近づけやすくなります。
この記事では、和菓子ゼリーに使われる主要な原料の特性から、透明感を出す濃度・糖・加熱の条件、果汁や香料の選び方まで整理します。
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The Characteristics and Selective Use of Agar, Gelatin, and Agar-Agar
The representative gelling agents used as raw materials for wagashi jelly are three types: agar (kanten), gelatin, and agar-agar. Understanding the characteristics of each is the first step toward achieving the ideal texture.
The Characteristics of Agar and the Wagashi It Suits
Agar is a gelling agent made from seaweeds such as tengusa and ogonori.
Its greatest features are a strong gelling power that keeps setting even at room temperature, and a crisp, gently crumbling texture. Although its translucency is inferior to gelatin and agar-agar, its appeal is the refined melt in the mouth characteristic of wagashi. It is ideal for traditional wagashi such as mizu-yokan, kingyoku, and neri-yokan, and it has good compatibility with sugar; adding sugar improves both firmness and translucency.
粉末寒天は、使用する製品の表示・規格書に従って加熱し、完全に溶かします。
The Characteristics of Gelatin and the Wagashi It Suits
Gelatin is an animal-based protein made from collagen contained in the bones and skin of cattle and pigs.
Its greatest appeal is a wobbly elasticity and a good melt in the mouth that dissolves at body temperature. Because it sets below 20°C and loses its shape at around 25°C, care is needed when handling it in summer. It is suited to mousses, bavarois, and Western-style jellies, but it is also used in wagashi when a soft texture is desired.
Because enzymes contained in raw pineapple, kiwi, and the like break down gelatin, heat treatment is essential when using these fruits.
The Characteristics of Agar-Agar and the Wagashi It Suits
Agar-agar is a gelling agent made by blending components extracted from seaweed and the seeds of leguminous plants.
It is characterized by outstandingly high translucency and a smooth, slippery texture. Because it produces the most translucent finish compared to agar and gelatin, it is ideal for wagashi that emphasize visual beauty. It sets quickly and requires no soaking, so work efficiency is also good. It is prized for translucency-focused summer wagashi such as mizu-manju and cooling confections.
It must be heated for about 30 seconds after boiling to dissolve completely, and mixing it with sugar first helps prevent clumping.
ゼリーを濁らせない濃度・糖・加熱の条件
The beauty of wagashi jelly is greatly influenced by its translucency.
Adjusting the Concentration of the Gelling Agent
透明感は、凝固剤の濃度で変わります。
寒天は濃度を下げると透明感を出しやすくなりますが、固さは低下します。必要な量は製品ごとに異なるため、使用する凝固剤の規格書の推奨濃度を起点に試作で調整します。
If the concentration is too high it tends to become cloudy, and if too low it becomes hard to set, so it is important to determine the optimal balance for each recipe.
Choosing Sugars and Blending Ratios
The type and amount of sugar also affect translucency.
グラニュー糖は最も透明度が高く、上白糖やきび砂糖は若干色味が出ます。甘さは水分量に対する砂糖の割合で決め、試作で調整します。水あめを併用すると、透明感を保ちながらしっとりとした食感が加わります。
In the case of agar, adding sugar has the property of improving translucency, so a moderate amount of sugar works in favor of translucency.
Managing heating temperature and time
加熱の仕方でも透明感が変わります。
寒天は製品の表示に従ってしっかり煮溶かすことで透明度が増します。一方、ゼラチンは高温で長時間加熱すると凝固力が低下するため、60〜70℃程度で溶かすのが理想的。アガーは沸騰後30秒程度で十分に溶解し、過度な加熱は避けるべきです。
With any gelling agent, cooling it while it is not completely dissolved causes cloudiness or sediment, so checking the dissolved state is essential.
How to Choose Fruit Juices and Flavorings and Their Blending Balance
It is the choice of fruit juice and flavoring that determines the flavor of wagashi jelly.
Types and Characteristics of Fruit Juices
The fruit juices used in wagashi jelly center on ingredients that evoke Japan's four seasons, such as yuzu, plum, persimmon, and chestnut.
Yuzu is characterized by its refreshing aroma and pleasant tartness and comes in various forms such as yuzu juice, yuzu jam, and fresh yuzu paste. Plum has an exquisite balance of tartness and sweetness, and plum kanro-ni and plum juice add depth to wagashi. Persimmon, with its ripe sweetness and mellow flavor, is ideal for autumn wagashi, and persimmon jam and sweet persimmon puree are used.
When the fruit juice is highly acidic, letting the agar dissolve completely before turning off the heat and adding the juice after it has cooled slightly can prevent a decline in gelling power.
Choosing Flavorings and Amounts to Use
香料は、和菓子の風味の印象を決める原料です。
水溶性香料は清涼飲料水やゼリー、和菓子に適しており、油溶性香料はチョコレートや焼き菓子向き。和菓子ゼリーには水溶性香料が向いており、使用量は製品ごとの推奨量を確認してください。
Because flavorings have a strong scent even in small amounts, adding too much results in an unnatural flavor. It is wise to first add a modest amount and adjust while tasting.
The Blending Balance of Fruit Juice and Gelling Agent
The blending ratio of fruit juice and gelling agent determines the finished texture and flavor.
果汁の酸味が強い場合は凝固剤を若干多めに配合し、甘みが強い果汁の場合は砂糖を控えめにするなど、素材の特性に応じた微調整が必要です。
寒天は酸に弱いため、酸味の強い果汁を使う際は溶解後に加えるのが鉄則。ゼラチンも酸性の液で加熱すると固まりにくくなるため、果汁は火から下ろしてから加えます。
Raw Materials and Tools Useful for Making Wagashi Jelly
Knowing the raw materials and tools that professional wagashi artisans use improves both work efficiency and quality.
The Wagashi Raw Materials Offered by Minoyo
Minoyo offers a wide range of raw materials needed for making wagashi in seven categories.
各種澱粉類では、本蕨粉、本葛、随一本葛から、馬鈴薯澱粉、小麦澱粉、甘薯澱粉、蓮粉、コーンスターチ、アルファ澱粉まで、透明感のある和菓子作りに欠かせない澱粉を取り揃えています。栗・梅類では、Extra-soft candied marrons, shibukawa chestnut kanro-ni, plum kanro-ni, Kishu neri-ume, plum pulp, plum juice, and more are available, letting you fully enjoy seasonal flavors.
果実類では、柚子スライス、柚子ジャム、生柚子ペースト、柚子果汁などの柚子関連商品があり、柿ジャム、生柿ペースト、甘柿ピューレなども取り扱っています。
Making Use of the Original "Tomo" Series
As Minoyo's original products, there is the "Tomo" Series, which simplifies wagashi production.
蕨菓子の友、葛菓子の友、蒸しようかんの友、水まんじゅうの友、新葛もちの友、葛ようかんの友、蓮粉の友、京・蕨水菓など、各種和菓子に特化した製品が揃っています。蒸しようかんの友を除く各品はミックス粉で、水と砂糖を加えて加熱すれば生地ができます。蒸しようかんの友はこし餡・寒天と併用する配合用原料です。
They are offered in 1kg and 10kg formats and can be selected according to the application.
Adding color with colorings
和菓子の彩りには着色料も使います。
There are paste types such as neri hon-beni, neri ki-iro, neri ao-iro, and neri hikicha-iro, and powder types such as Red No. 3, ouka-beni, Blue No. 1, Yellow No. 4, shin-azuki-iro, hikicha-iro, tokusei kusa-ao-iro, tokusei chocolate-iro, and bamboo charcoal powder. Formats are diverse, including 50g, 150g, 200g, 500g, 600g, and 1kg, so you can choose according to the application.
着色料は添加物として表示が必要です。原材料表示もあわせて確認してください。
Conclusion: The Choice of Raw Materials Determines the Quality of Wagashi Jelly
和菓子ゼリーの原料選びは、仕上がりの食感、透明感、風味を左右します。
Agar has a crisp, traditional texture, gelatin has a wobbly texture with a good melt in the mouth, and agar-agar has a smooth texture with outstanding translucency — each has its own character. To achieve translucency, adjusting the concentration of the gelling agent, choosing the sugar, and managing heating are the keys, and the blending balance of fruit juice and flavoring determines the flavor.
At Minoyo, we offerGenuine warabi starchや本葛などの高級澱粉、柚子や梅などの果実加工品、和菓子製造を簡便化する「友」シリーズなど、プロが求める原料を業務用大容量パッケージで提供しています。原料の特性を理解し、適切に使い分けることで、狙った仕上がりに近づけられます。
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📦 Related Minoyo Products
Please feel free to consult us about commercial procurement and sample requests
美濃与は京都に拠点を置く京菓子原材料の専門商社です。本記事で取り上げた原料の業務用調達や、お試しサンプル、ロット・規格のご相談など、和菓子製造の現場に寄り添った提案を行っています。
For Minoyo's business and strengths, please see Our Business & Why We Are Chosen . For the actual flow of doing business, see Ordering Process & How to Order; for questions, we have compiled them at Frequently Asked Questions . For individual consultations, please use Contact or material download to get in touch.
