Favourite Japan Foods: Purin (custard pudding)

Eating purin (プリン) is what it must feel like to bite into an angel. There is no better pleasure than to sink your spoon into the sweet, wobbly custard, ensuring in the process you also scrape up a little of the slightly bitter caramel sauce that has collected at the bottom, and let it slither around your mouth so you can savour the texture and flavour. Purin is essentially just creme caramel, and can be found pre-packaged almost anywhere in Japan - supermarkets, convenience stores, train stations. A small cup of purin costs around 100 yen, which is a fantastic deal, considering we are biting into angels here.

Kandai Purin

Kansai University's cafeteria is known for its special homemade Purin, called 'Kandai Purin'. Differences to store-bought Purin include a dollop of whipped cream on top, a firmer 'shell' of caramel sauce, a smoother, creamier texture, and a noticeable addition of love and care in the making of it. It is so popular that several batches are required over one lunch period, and every time a fresh batch of Purin is put out (about once every 15 minutes), the lunch ladies will ring a bell, initiating a frantic Purin riot.

Puchin Purin Mushi Pan

I have recently discovered a new bread at my local Lawson convenience store that has turned into something of a love affair. It's called 'Puchin Purin Mushi Pan, and consists of soft, steamed, caramel flavoured bread (more of a cake than bread, really), with a surprise filling of custard. Purin in cake form is all right by me.

Kobe Purin KitKats

On a recent trip to Kobe, we picked up this cute box of specialty KitKats, which are Kobe Purin flavoured - Kobe is very famous for its Purin. I have been very restrained and have not opened them yet, as we have been collecting various Japan KitKat flavours that I will sample and review in a later post... but I can already tell that these Purin ones are going to be my favourite.