Raindrop cake


Raindrop cake is a dessert made of water and agar that resembles a raindrop. It first became popular in Japan in 2014, and later gained international attention.

History

Originally a Japanese dessert known as mizu shingen mochi, the dish was first created by Kinseiken Seika Company in Yamanashi Prefecture near Tokyo, Japan in 2014. Mizu means water and shingen mochi is a type of sweet rice cake made by the Kinseiken company. The year prior in 2013, the creator wanted to explore the idea of making edible water. The dessert became a viral sensation and people made special trips to experience the dish.
Darren Wong introduced the dish to the United States in New York City at the April 2016 Smorgasburg food fair. Shortly after, London restaurant Yamagoya worked four months to develop another version.

Description

The dish is made from mineral water and agar; thus, it has virtually no calories. The water from the original dish was obtained from Mount Kaikoma of the Southern Japanese Alps, and it has been described as having a mildly sweet taste. The agar is a vegetarian/vegan alternative to gelatin that is made from seaweed. After being heated, it is molded and cooled. A molasses-like syrup, called kuromitsu, and soybean flour, called kinako, are used as toppings. The dish appears like a transparent raindrop, although it has also been compared to breast implants and jellyfish. The largely tasteless dessert melts when it enters the mouth and must be eaten immediately, or it will melt and begin to evaporate after twenty minutes.
The dessert is also sold in kits to be made at home. It has been showcased by the mainstream media on The Today Show, BuzzFeed and ABC News.