Osaka Dessert Workshop: Matcha Parfait & Japanese Sweets

Join Saeko–a professional chef and cooking instructor–for a dessert-making workshop in Osaka! Learn how to make matcha ice cream along with a range of Japanese sweets like warabi mochi, shiratama dango, and kuromitsu. This class includes all of your ingredients, an English-language recipe to take home, and Japanese tea.

Meet your host, Saeko–a professional chef and passionate cooking instructor from Osaka. Prior to opening her Kansai-based cooking studio in 2018, Saeko traveled extensively (over 21 countries) and had a stint working as a Japanese chef in Denmark. These experiences sparked her interest in connecting with other cultures through food, eventually leading her to pursue a career as a cooking instructor in her home country (Japan). To date, she has taught over 500 foreign students and counting.

Your dessert-making workshop will take place at Saeko’s personal cooking studio. You’ll be greeted and receive a brief rundown of your cooking experience, then strap on your apron before heading into the kitchen. You’ll learn how to make matcha ice cream from scratch–which you’ll later use to create a bitter-sweet parfait! Next come the Japanese sweets: Warabi mochi, shiratama dango, and kuromitsu. This trio of beloved desserts are well-known all over Japan. They can be found everywhere from supermarkets, specialty stores, festivals, and beyond–but there’s no better way to experience them than by making them yourself!

Warabi mochi are made from bracken starch and have a gelatinous texture, shiratama dango are chewy rice flour dumplings, and kuromitsu is a silky brown sugar syrup. After creating your dessert delights, combine the ingredients to make and decorate a loaded matcha parfait. But be quick before it melts–sit back and enjoy your handmade Japanese desserts alongside your classmates and host.