Name: Make your own tofu dango with caramel sauce: delicious & quick
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients: 220 g glutinous rice flour; 200 g silken tofu; 100 g icing sugar; 50 g butter or margarine; 150 ml cream or soy cream; ¼ tsp salt; 1 tsp oil; 5 bamboo skewers

to the recipe ↓

To the video ↓

Tofu Dango with caramel sauce is a harmonious blend of delicate silken tofu and traditional glutinous rice flour. Rounded off with a savoury caramel sauce, this recipe combines the best of Japanese cuisine with a touch of modern sweetness to create a sweet-and-savoury twist.

Tofu Dango with caramel sauce is a recipe that combines traditional Japanese elements with a touch of Western sweetness. These little rice balls, made particularly tender and fluffy by the addition of silken tofu, are a real treat.

The recipe is quick and easy to prepare and is ideal for serving a Japanese dessert with a special twist. Perfect for anyone who wants to take their love of Japanese cuisine to a new level – or simply wants to try something new.

Can silken tofu also be used in desserts?

Tofu is a staple food in Japan and is used in countless dishes – from savoury to sweet. Silken tofu, the softest variety of Tofu, is particularly versatile and is prized for its delicate texture.

CUSTOMER FAVOURITE

Seiden Tofu Firm 300g, J-Basket

Der Seiden Tofu Firm von J-Basket – vielseitig einsetzbar, reich an Eiweiß und perfekt für Suppen, Eintöpfe, Desserts und mehr. Jetzt entdecken und genießen!

€2,69

In stock

In Japanese cuisine, silken tofu is used not only in savoury dishes but also in desserts, as it provides a subtle, creamy base that perfectly brings out the flavour of other ingredients. In this recipe, silken tofu is used to make the Dango particularly soft and light, giving the rice balls a unique texture.

Tofu Dango is a special variation of traditional Dango that uses silken tofu. The tofu makes the dough softer and gives the balls a particularly tender yet firm texture, setting them apart from conventional Dango.

The savoury caramel sauce that rounds off this dish creates a contrasting flavour that highlights the dessert’s sweetness and adds a pleasant complexity. This combination makes Tofu Dango a unique taste experience that is both traditional and modern at the same time.

Make your own Tofu Dango with caramel sauce: Here’s how

Tofu Dango with caramel sauce is easy to prepare and requires only a few, carefully selected ingredients. The combination of silken tofu and glutinous rice flour ensures the dango has a particularly soft yet firm consistency. Here’s what you’ll need and how to proceed:

220 g glutinous rice flour (im Shop ansehen)
200 g silken tofu (im Shop ansehen)
100 g icing sugar
50 g butter
150 ml cream
¼ tsp salt
oil
bamboo skewers

Vegan version?

If you want to make a vegan version of the tofu Dango, it’s very easy to do. Replace the butter in the caramel sauce with plant-based margarine and use a creamy soy cream instead of cream. These adjustments ensure that you can enjoy the delicious taste of the Dango whilst the recipe remains vegan. This is how you conjure up an equally delicious, yet purely plant-based version of this Japanese dessert!

First, gather all the ingredients for the tofu Dango and soak the wooden skewers in water so they don’t burn later when frying. Carefully drain the silken Tofu, possibly cut into smaller pieces, and placed in a bowl together with the glutinous rice flour. The mixture is kneaded thoroughly by hand into a smooth dough. This dough should be smooth and supple so that it can be shaped easily.

CUSTOMER FAVOURITE

Klebreismehl 940g (glutinous), Fujiman

Klebreismehl für Mochi, Dango & japanische Desserts . Dieses Klebreismehl von Fujiman besteht aus fein gemahlenem Rundkornreis und sorgt für die typische weiche, elastische Textur…

€5,49

In stock

The dough is then placed on a clean work surface, where it is kneaded vigorously once more to ensure it has a uniform consistency. The dough is then shaped into a long roll, which is cut into 16 equal-sized pieces. Each piece is rolled into a small, uniform ball.

Water is now brought to the boil in a large saucepan. As soon as the water boils, reduce the heat and carefully add the shaped Dango balls to the water one by one. Simmer the Dango gently until they float to the surface.

Then leave them to cook for a further two minutes or so. At the same time, prepare a large bowl of cold water and ice cubes, into which the Dango are placed to cool after cooking. Once they have cooled down properly, the Dango are drained and skewered onto the wooden sticks.

To make the caramel sauce, slowly melt the icing sugar in a saucepan over a medium heat until it turns a golden, brownish colour. Meanwhile, gently warm the cream in a separate saucepan or in the microwave.

Once the sugar has completely melted and caramelised, slowly and carefully pour the warm cream into the saucepan and stir in continuously. Then add the butter and continue stirring until a smooth, glossy sauce forms. Finally, a pinch of salt is added to balance the sweetness of the sauce.

The Dango skewers are now fried in a lightly oiled pan until golden brown on all sides. Once they have reached the desired colour, they are arranged on a plate and generously coated with the warm caramel sauce. Alternatively, the sauce can be placed in a small bowl into which the Dango skewers can be dipped directly. Leave to rest briefly and then serve warm .

What goes well with tofu dango?

Tofu dango with caramel sauce is not only a delicious dessert, but also a versatile addition to any Japanese meal. These delicate rice balls, with their soft texture and the slightly sweet taste of the caramel sauce, are perfect as a finishing touch to a hearty meal.

They go particularly well with dishes such as Tempura or Donburi, where their sweetness and subtle caramel notes provide a wonderful contrast to the savoury main course. But Tofu Dango also make for a delightful afternoon treat or an in-between course, as their lightness means they don’t overwhelm the palate.

A particularly harmonious combination is achieved when you serve the Tofu Dango with a traditional Japanese tea such as mugicha . The roasted flavour of the tea highlights the sweetness of the Dango without overpowering it, creating a pleasant balance. If you fancy something a little more experimental, you can garnish the Tofu Dango with fresh fruit such as strawberries or mangoes to add a touch of fruity freshness.

Alternatively, a Matcha sauce gives the Dango a slightly bitter note that blends perfectly with the sweetness of the caramel sauce, elevating the dessert to a whole new taste experience. This versatility makes tofu dango a highlight of any Japanese menu.

Do you have any questions about the tofu dango recipe, or would you like to share your results with the community? Simply leave a comment below this post. Have fun experimenting and enjoy!

Tofu Dango

serves 5 | 30 minutes | 334 kcal

🖨️ Print PDF 📌 Save pin

Tofu Dango with caramel sauce is a tempting combination of soft glutinous rice flour and delicate silken tofu. Enhanced with a salty caramel sauce, this recipe perfectly blends Japanese tradition with modern sweetness.

Ingredients (5 servings)

* Add ingredients to basket 🪄

220 g glutinous rice flour (im Shop ansehen) *
200 g silken tofu (im Shop ansehen)*

For the caramel sauce:
100 g icing sugar
50 g butter (or margarine)
150 ml cream (or soy cream)
¼ tsp salt

1 tsp oil (e.g. rapeseed oil)
5 bamboo skewers

Useful tools:
Yukihiara pot
2-in-1 strainer & skimmer (im Shop ansehen)

Preparation (30 minutes)

Step 1

Get the ingredients for the delicious tofu Dango ready. Soak the wooden skewers in water to prevent them from burning whilst frying. Also, drain the silken Tofu lightly and cut it into small pieces.

Step 2

For the Dango, place the glutinous rice flour and the silken tofu in a bowl and mix well with your hands until a smooth dough forms.

Step 3

Then place the dough on a clean work surface, knead it thoroughly once more with the palms of your hands, and then shape it into a smooth, elongated roll.

Step 4

Divide the dough into 16 roughly equal-sized pieces. The best way to do this is to shape the dough into a long roll and cut it in half with a knife. Cut each half in half again. We now have 4 pieces of dough, each of which is then cut into 4 small pieces.

Step 5

Now shape the pieces into 16 nice round balls between your palms.

Tofu Dango passaggio 6 - Cuocere i riso balls

Step 6

Next, bring 2 litres of water to the boil in a large saucepan. Once the water has come to the boil, reduce the heat and carefully add the shaped Dango balls one by one (for example, using a foam strainer)
Simmer the Dango gently, stirring carefully from time to time to prevent the rice balls from sticking to the bottom.
When the Dango float to the surface, continue cooking for a further 2 minutes.
Meanwhile, fill a large bowl with cold water and ideally add a few ice cubes.

Tofu Dango passaggio 7 - Abtropfen der Reisbällchen

Step 7

Remove the Dango with a sieve, cool them in ice-cold water and then leave them to drain on a plate or kitchen paper.

Step 8

Skewer 3 Dango balls onto each wooden skewer (feel free to snack on the leftover Dango straight away 😉).

Step 9

For the sauce, melt the icing sugar in a saucepan over a medium heat until it turns a golden brown colour. Tip: If the sugar doesn’t melt evenly, gently stir the sugar at the top with a wooden spoon and then with a whisk.

Step 10

Gently warm the cream in a separate saucepan (or in the microwave) .
Once the sugar has caramelised, slowly stir the warm cream into the caramel using a whisk.

Step 11

Next, stir in the butter and the salt with a whisk until the butter has completely melted. Pour the caramel sauce into a bowl or a preserving jar and leave to cool for about 5 minutes.

Step 12

Heat a frying pan with a very thin layer of oil and fry the Dango skewers over a medium heat until golden brown on each side; this takes about 5 minutes.

Tofu Dango Step 13 - Dip Skewers in Sauce

Passaggio 13

Arrange the golden-brown fried Dango skewers on a plate, coat them with the warm, salty caramel sauce and serve immediately (alternatively, dip the skewers directly into the sauce and coat them thoroughly).

Step 14

Leave the skewers to rest for a moment and done – Itadakimasu! This goes really well with some homemade Mugicha tea .