[Sweets with a Story] ~Seasonal Snack Recipes & Essays~

A shortcake topped with a plump, juicy strawberry. A cookie with an irresistible crunchy texture. A nostalgic pudding à la mode. A pound cake baked on the weekend.
When do you find yourself craving sweet treats?

Perhaps I crave sweets the most when my body and mind are completely exhausted. It's not just about needing a sugar boost; I believe that sweets have the power to make people happy just by being there. They are gorgeous, sparkling, delicate, and treasure-like. While there are more sweets available to buy easily these days, seeing a whole cake reminds me of birthday parties and Christmas, and seeing beautifully wrapped baked goods makes me want to give them to someone. They truly have a special quality to them.

I have loved sweets since I was a child, but I started getting hooked on making them when I was in high school. While I was in a sports club, I would bake sweets in the home economics club during my one day off a week, get advice from the teacher, and try again the following week. I was happy to increase my repertoire one by one and to see the level of perfection improve each week. Before I knew it, it had become a precious moment for me, as I was studying all the time back then.
Ever since then, even now that I am an adult, I have been steadily continuing to bake.

Sometimes people say to me, "You're so busy, why do you bake? It's faster to just buy them!" That is certainly true, but for me, the time spent baking is a form of healing, a time to organize my thoughts, and above all, it's for me, because I want to eat delicious sweets!

I have been making sweets to make myself happy, but I am also very happy when I give them to my family and friends and they enjoy them. I hope this warm, happy feeling will continue to spread.
With that feeling in mind, I have selected a total of eight recipes from among the sweets I have made so far that I especially recommend, two for each season. I have also included some tea-time snacks that are a bit like essays.

I think sweets are happy not just in the moment you eat them, but also in the time you spend choosing them in front of the shop window, wondering which one to pick, thinking this one looks good, no, I want to eat that one too... hmm... I hope you will enjoy tasting and savoring these sweets in that same way, wondering which one to have today. I have also retaken all the photos. Reading just the text, looking at the photos, or even just snacking on them is more than welcome.

To you, who are doing your best every day.
Please, let me share a small, sweet moment with you.

Spring Sweets

Spring is a time for beginnings and new encounters.
The air is gradually getting warmer, and there is the scent of lively flowers and plants. Tempted by the soft sunlight, I find myself putting on a cardigan I just bought.
For this season, when you just want to go outside, I have prepared two sweets that will make you feel relieved and gentle in both taste and appearance.

recipe1. Cherry Blossom Meringue

When I feel the faint presence of cherry blossoms, I know that spring has arrived.
Every year, I get enthusiastic about going cherry blossom viewing, but when I'm busy, they scatter in the blink of an eye in two weeks. Sometimes, looking at the trees after the blossoms have fallen makes me feel a bit lonely.
To fill that loneliness, please enjoy these cherry blossom treats. The light, fluffy meringue melts away in your mouth. When you put one in your mouth, the soft color of spring soaks into your body, and you feel a little warm and fuzzy.

The round cherry blossom-shaped pieces are somehow cute just by being lined up. The key is to pipe them gently using a cherry blossom piping tip. This time, I piped two types: large cherry blossoms and small cherry blossoms.

Meringue is very delicate and melts away as soon as you put it in your mouth. That becomes addictive, and I end up eating one, then two more. I think this gentle sweetness and fleeting nature are somewhat similar to cherry blossoms.

recipe2. Weekend Citron

"Weekend Citron" is, as the name suggests, a sweet to "eat on the weekend." It is a baked confection born in France, and it is said to carry the meaning of eating it together with family and loved ones on the weekend.
The appearance, generously coated with lemon icing, is refreshing and makes my heart flutter, like youth. Perhaps it is thanks to the vibrant yellow color that I get a boost of energy with every slice I eat.

A small, slim pound cake tin makes it look stylish just by baking it. Topping it with pistachio dice is perfect for the spring image. It is also delicious to top it with finely chopped nuts.

While it is wonderful to make a "Weekend Citron" for a weekend with someone, I often bake it on a weekend when I have time, for a slightly busy weekday. I eat one slice each weekday. On days when I worked hard, I can eat two slices. Just making small rules like that makes things a little more fun.
Let's create our own fun.

Spring Tea-Time Snack Essay

The Profile of the Balcony

Summer Sweets

Speaking of summer, there's Koshien, fireworks festivals, music festivals...
Personally, it's a season packed with things I love. Eating cold ice cream while drenched in sweat is the best moment ever. On the other hand, the summer air also carries a somewhat sentimental atmosphere, and I feel like my heart is often stirred. That's how I feel.
Whether you love summer or find it a bit difficult, I have prepared two refreshing treats that will give you an energy charge just by looking at them.

recipe3. Sunflower Sablé

The English name for sunflower is sunflower. It may be because it looks like the sun, but it is truly the flower of the sun, turning to follow the movement of the sun.
I still cannot forget the sight of the sunflower field my grandmother took me to when I was a child.
I didn't want to forget that longing from back then, so I made them into vibrant yellow sablés.

If you cut them out with three parts, you can enjoy various flavors in one piece. Just cake flour is fine, but personally, I prefer the recipe with almond flour added. It adds a nutty aroma and richness, and the texture is lighter and crispier than it looks, so I can eat as many as I want.

I also love these sablés because their golden-brown color closely resembles that of real sunflowers. Summer is a particularly difficult season for baking, but don't panic or rush; make sure to chill the cookie dough thoroughly each time before cutting out the shapes. If you keep the dough frozen, you can enjoy freshly baked sablés whenever you like!

recipe4. Shooting Star Jelly

I don't think I will ever forget the night I saw a shooting star for the first time. It happened in an instant, faster than I had imagined, but it was more beautiful than I could have ever pictured. The only thing that surprised me was that I saw it on a summer night when there wasn't even a meteor shower, just by looking up at the sky while lost in thought.
I used to think that shooting stars were incredibly special phenomena that could only be seen on certain days, but that wasn't the case at all. They are part of our everyday lives. It just depends on whether or not you happen to be looking.
I captured that summer night sky in a cup of jelly using agar.

Compared to gelatin-based jellies, agar provides a smoother, more jelly-like texture and increased transparency, making it recommended for summer. Another advantage is that it doesn't lose its shape at room temperature.
In this recipe, I've kept it slightly soft so that it still has some give when scooped with a spoon, but you can increase the amount of agar for a firmer finish.

Clear jelly, blue jelly, dark blue jelly. By layering them to create a gradient, it looks even more vibrant when viewed from the side.
You can also make purple to pink jelly by adjusting the amount of butterfly pea flower tea and lemon juice. Please try arranging your own version of the sky.

Summer Tea Time Essay

The Sunflower Beer Seller

Autumn Sweets

Autumn for sports, autumn for art, autumn for appetites, autumn for reading. Even though there are countless ways to enjoy autumn, why does it feel like it passes in an instant every year?
Sweet potatoes, chestnuts, and pumpkins. Enjoying these comforting, delicious treats is something unique to this season. I've created snacks that allow you to fully experience such a precious autumn.

recipe5. Chestnut Financier

A long time ago, I was scolded severely for secretly eating chestnuts I had received from a relative. That's because I didn't just eat a few; I ate a huge amount. I only meant to have a little taste, but before I knew it, I couldn't stop... that's how enchanting autumn chestnuts are.
When it comes to chestnut sweets, Japanese confections like chestnut manju, kinton, or chestnut yokan are great, but this time I'm proposing a financier where you can enjoy a nutty aroma and a crisp texture.

It's pure bliss when the kitchen fills with the scent of chestnuts while they are baking.
I used plenty of rich chestnut cream in these financiers, which feature browned butter and almond flour as the key ingredients. It's also a great rescue recipe for when you have leftover egg whites.

Financiers are sweets that were born in France in the 17th century, said to have been created so that busy financiers could eat them without getting their hands dirty. It is said that they are often square-shaped because they were inspired by the shape of gold bars. This time, I used round cups to better match the image of chestnuts. It's the interesting thing about baked goods—how changing the shape can completely change the atmosphere, even with the same recipe.

recipe6. Pumpkin Pudding à la Mode

In autumn, pumpkin sweets line the shelves of pastry shops, convenience stores, and supermarkets everywhere. Among them, my absolute favorite is pumpkin pudding. And when it comes to the king of puddings, it has to be Pudding à la Mode! What would happen if I combined these two amazing things? ...I made it with excitement, and it turned out to be a masterpiece.
Here is a recipe for pumpkin pudding that also has a satisfying, fluffy texture.

Pudding à la Mode is a special kind of dessert that I can't help but order if it's on the menu. My focus this time was using slightly taller pudding cups. Pudding with a plump, Mt. Fuji-like appearance is cute, but using a taller cup allows for a more stylish presentation. In addition to whipped cream, I garnished it with yellow peaches, kiwi fruit, bananas, mixed berries, cherries, and chocolate.

The pudding has an exquisite texture—not too firm, not too soft. Since it uses a paste made from pumpkin, the flavor of autumn spreads through your mouth with every bite. It also pairs perfectly with the slightly bitter caramel sauce.
Furthermore, if you serve it on retro tableware or glass plates, you should be able to travel back in time to an "old-fashioned coffee shop." Just by preparing a few types of fruit and adding whipped cream, your usual snack time will become even more luxurious. Please enjoy it not only when you invite friends over or on special occasions, but also as a reward for yourself for working hard.

Autumn Tea Time Essay

Milk Coffee and Croissants

Winter Sweets

Once Halloween ends, the Christmas season arrives in a flash. You are led into a glittering world of illuminations just by walking a little, with large trees and colorful gift boxes everywhere.
Even though I am fully an adult, I still feel a flutter of excitement, wondering if Santa might actually come, or wanting to do something out of the ordinary.
Including the year-end holidays and Valentine's Day that follow, I think winter is the season when you most want to give gifts to someone. For winter, I have selected some special sweets that embrace those feelings.

recipe7. Christmas Shortcake

Christmas is a time that makes you feel excited just by walking through town, even if you don't have any specific plans. Whether you are spending it alone, with a loved one, or with your family, the star of the show is undoubtedly the cake. With chocolate cakes, cheesecakes, and ice cream cakes, the options increase every year from specialty shops to convenience stores, making it hard to choose. However, a classic homemade shortcake brings back memories of Christmases from childhood.

A glistening turkey leg, a salad of lettuce, tomatoes, and broccoli, and warm soup. You are already full, but the image of a Christmas dinner is sharing a whole cake cut into pieces for everyone.
Even slightly uneven strawberries are part of the charm. Carefully piping the cream and adding a plate or chocolate makes it a luxurious whole cake.

Sponge cake has a nostalgic flavor made with simple ingredients. It pairs well with sweet and sour strawberries and light cream, and the scary part is how easily you can eat it. Since the recipe and ingredients are simple, taking care in the preparation makes a huge difference in the final result. You can add colorful sprinkles or top it with fruits other than strawberries. Once you make the perfect cake, you will think, 'I'll make this again next year!' and that alone should increase your own sense of 'specialness'.

recipe8. Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

I first confessed my feelings to someone I liked when I was in middle school. Baking sweets for someone else was surely something I did for the first time that Valentine's Day. Chocolate is the classic choice, but I spent days and weeks thinking about what I should make. I was incredibly nervous about expressing my feelings, but perhaps the time spent before Valentine's Day, making something while thinking of the other person, was the most fun part.
This time, I am introducing cupcakes that are perfect for both your special someone and for friends.

The batter uses cocoa powder and plenty of chocolate chips, making it the perfect sweet for Valentine's Day. I baked them in small sizes using slightly muted pink cups. I dressed them up even more cutely with heart-shaped picks that match the design of the letter included with the gift for that special someone.

The bitter and sweet aroma of the baking makes me feel a bit ticklish as I remember the feelings before a confession. Even though I was so nervous, I don't even remember what I gave the other person. But when you grow up and the person remembers it in detail, it's actually quite nice. Giving sweets to someone you like is truly wonderful. Even as an adult, I hope you can convey your gratitude to the person you like along with some sweet treats.

Winter Tea Snack Essay

My Own Santa Claus

The Equation of Happiness

As you become an adult, you have less free time than before, you are entrusted with heavier responsibilities, and you deal with family or health issues and more complicated relationships. It seems like there are more difficult things that you cannot control on your own.
Even if you feel like you have tried your best, there are many times when you think, 'Why am I like this?', 'It wasn't supposed to be like this', or 'If only I had chosen a different path back then'.

At times like that, I try to remember the words of my beloved grandmother.
'Even if you are in a difficult situation, choose to be someone who can smile. Because throughout your life, you have the responsibility to make yourself happy. A smile is contagious and will gradually spread to the people around you. It's like an equation for happiness,' she said.

I am not a superhero of the world, nor am I a billionaire. It is difficult to save many people in trouble around the world in an instant. But if it is a choice that allows me to smile, I can surely do it. And I want to share the things that I feel are good and happy with my family and the people around me, little by little.

The cake I eat on my day off, the shortbread I eat between work, the pound cake I snack on in the middle of the night, and the chocolate I eat while shedding tears when I am frustrated. Sweets give me positive energy at any time.

In the midst of a busy daily life, there are times when it is hard to find small happiness, but I hope that for those who have read this article, this dish becomes a moment of peace for your heart.

Lastly.
May the future life of you who have read this far be incredibly sweet and happy!