Now, shall we continue from where we left off last time with Sweetened White Bean Paste (백앙금 baek ang geum)? This is one of the sweets that require white bean paste in its traditional form. It's called sangtoo gwaja (상투과자), named after the top knot (상투 sang too) of the traditional hairdo for men up until early 1900's. It's also called guri ball (구리볼) as it is said to have been originated from Japan in its chestnut (kuri) - looking shape.
I'm calling this Cannellini Kisses, since it's made with cannellini bean paste (a.k.a. white bean paste) and it also resembles the chocolate drops that many of us can relate to. I think the name appropriately relays the image of how cute these little white bean drops really are.
Whatever you want to call it, it's an easy, delicious sweet that you can whip up once you have white bean paste. The recipe below will give you a mild-tasting cannellini kisses. If you want a sweeter version closer to the ones you can buy from Korean bakeries, add 1~2 teaspoons of sugar, noted as an optional ingredient.
From a Korean bakery in Manhattan - They're sold as 'White Bean Balls.'
As for the pastry tip, the French star tip (with fine teeth) is the one to use for the traditional look. But as you can see from the picture on top, I think a regular open star tip produces a slightly different, yet still fine-looking cannellini kisses. I also found the open star tip a bit easier to manage. Also, a bigger tip gives you a bigger sized cannellini kisses and it's easier to handle, especially if you are a beginner. Piping with a pastry bag takes patience and practice, but just remember to keep them all about the same size. Also, they'll taste great regardless of the shape, so all is well.
If you are so disciplined that you can hold back from popping them into your mouth as soon as they come out of the oven, it does taste better the next day as the flavor settles. It will be also slightly more moist as it should be.
Cannellini Kisses (구리볼 / 상투과자)
Yield: About 40 kisses
INGREDIENTS:
1 cup Sweetened white bean paste (백앙금 baek ang geum See my recipe here)
1/4 cup Almond powder
1 Egg yolk
1 tablespoon Honey
1 tablespoon Milk
Optional) 1~2 teaspoons Sugar
DIRECTiONS:
1. Mix to combine sweet cannellini paste, almond powder, egg yolk, honey and milk. Mix in 1~2 teaspoons of sugar if you prefer it to be a on a sweeter side.
2. Prepare a pastry bag with an open star tip (easier) or a French star tip (traditional), depending on your preference. Add the paste mix into the pastry bag and tie the bag.
3. Preheat the oven to 350F degrees.
4. On a parchment-lined sheet pan, squeeze out a shape like the chocolate kisses.
5. Bake in the oven for 20~25 minutes, until the bottom is golden brown. Remove from the oven and let it cool to room temperature. Keep it refrigerated in an air-tight container for up to a week. It tastes sweeter and more moist the next day.
