Name: Matcha Hiyoko Manju Recipe
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 13 min
Total time: 4 h 33 min
Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients: 93 g sweetened condensed milk (about 1/3 cup minus 1 tsp); 16 g egg yolk (about 1 large egg yolk); 2 g baking soda (about 1/3 tsp); 20 g cornstarch (about 1/2 cup plus 1 Tbsp); 75 g cake flour (about 1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp); 2 g matcha powder (about 1 tsp); 250 g sweet white bean paste (or filling of choice such as red bean paste, lotus bean paste, or almond paste); 4 g matcha powder (about 2 tsp)

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Introduction

Matcha Hiyoko Manju are delicate Japanese sweets shaped like little chicks, featuring a smooth matcha-flavored dough wrapped around a sweet white bean filling. These treats are as charming to look at as they are delightful to eat, offering a subtle balance of earthy matcha and sweet bean paste.

The image shows four small baked treats shaped like pears with a round base and a narrow top, each with a slightly browned tip. Their color is a gradient from light greenish at the base to golden brown at the top, giving a natural baked look. The surface texture appears smooth with small cracks and slight imperfections, indicating they are soft bread or pastries. They are placed directly on crumpled white parchment on a white marbled surface. The focus is on the two pear-shaped treats in the front, with two more blurred in the background. photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Ingredients

93 g sweetened condensed milk (about 1/3 cup minus 1 tsp)
16 g egg yolk (about 1 large egg yolk)
2 g baking soda (about 1/3 tsp)
20 g cornstarch (about 1/2 cup plus 1 Tbsp)
75 g cake flour (about 1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp)
2 g matcha powder (about 1 tsp)
250 g sweet white bean paste (or filling of choice such as red bean paste, lotus bean paste, or almond paste)
4 g matcha powder (about 2 tsp, for the filling)

Instructions

Step 1: Mix the filling by combining the sweet white bean paste with 4 g matcha powder until smooth.
Step 2: Portion the filling using a cookie scoop or small ice cream scoop. Place the portions onto a parchment-lined plate or tray and freeze for at least 3–4 hours or overnight. This step is optional but helps with shaping later.
Step 3: Prepare the dough by setting a metal or glass bowl over a smaller bowl filled with hot or boiling water.
Step 4: Add sweetened condensed milk and egg yolk to the top bowl and stir gently until the mixture warms.
Step 5: Stir in the 2 g matcha powder.
Step 6: Sift in baking soda, cornstarch, and cake flour, then stir until a soft, sticky dough forms.
Step 7: Cover the dough tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 1 hour until firm and cold.
Step 8: Dust a tray with cornstarch and scrape the chilled dough onto it. Divide into 12–16 equal pieces and lightly coat with cornstarch to prevent sticking.
Step 9: Flatten each piece into a thin disk with hands dusted in cornstarch.
Step 10: Place a portion of filling in the center of each disk and carefully wrap the dough around it, rolling into a ball. Patch any cracks with small dough pieces.
Step 11: Shape the dough by applying light pressure to roll the center of the ball along your thumb and index finger to form the chick’s neck. Pinch a small piece of dough at the front to create a tiny beak.
Step 12: Preheat the oven to 340°F (170°C). Arrange the shaped manju on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 12–13 minutes until lightly golden.
Step 13: Let the manju cool completely at room temperature before serving.
Step 14: For best texture, store in an airtight container and refrigerate overnight to soften and develop a smooth, velvety finish.

Tips & Variations

Freezing the filling makes shaping the manju much easier and helps prevent the dough from tearing.
You can substitute the white bean paste with red bean paste or almond paste for different flavors.
If cracks form in the dough while shaping, gently patch them with small pieces of dough to ensure a smooth finish.
Adjust the thickness of the dough disks as thin as possible without tearing to achieve the best texture.

Storage

Store the baked manju in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Refrigerating overnight is recommended to enhance the texture, turning it from crisp to smooth and velvety. Reheat gently in a warm oven or enjoy chilled.

How to Serve

Three bird-shaped cookies sit on white parchment over a white marbled surface. Each cookie has a smooth outer layer of light beige dough with a slightly browned rounded top, resembling a bird's head and beak. The cookie in the front is bitten into, revealing a soft, green, layered inside with a crumbly texture, showing four distinct layers stacked inside. The two cookies in the back remain whole, slightly blurred, emphasizing the bitten one as the focal point. The overall scene is bright with a soft, clean background. photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I skip freezing the filling?

Yes, freezing is optional but highly recommended because it makes the filling easier to handle and helps prevent the dough from breaking during shaping.

What can I use if I don’t have matcha powder?

You can substitute matcha with finely ground green tea powder or omit it for a plain sweet bean paste manju, though the signature earthy flavor will be missing.