[For Seniors] April Snack Activity: Ideas to Enjoy Spring with Homemade Sweets

Japanese-style parfait with matcha mizuyokan and brown sugar syrup

OyaTube! “Japanese-style parfait with matcha mizuyokan and kuromitsu”

Let’s try making a Japanese-style parfait topped with kuromitsu (brown sugar syrup) over soft matcha mizu-yokan.

You can use store-bought matcha mizu-yokan, and kits that include the ingredients make it easy to prepare.

These days, you can enjoy parfaits casually at family restaurants and cafes, and even supermarkets sell cup parfaits.

However, there was a time when parfaits weren’t so readily available and were considered an occasional luxury.

Some older adults might still feel that way about parfaits.

During a snack-making activity where you make parfaits, why not ask people what kind of image or impressions they have of parfaits? It could spark a lively conversation.

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Nakajima Junko

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Strawberry omelette

How to Make Strawberry Omelette: Convenience Store-Style Sweets! Loaded with Whipped Cream & Strawberry Custard Cream ♪ Tips for Perfectly Cooking the Batter ♪ - How to Make Strawberry Omelet [Culinary Researcher Yukari]

An omelette made by baking a spread sponge cake batter and adding whipped cream and fruit.

Let’s make a seasonal spring treat—strawberry omelettes—an arrangement of a classic French dessert! First, mix mashed strawberries (using a masher), milk, and sugar.

Next, add pancake mix, heat the mixture, then stir well and chill it in the refrigerator.

Then, mix sugar and eggs, add pancake mix, and cook pancakes.

Once the pancakes are done, top them with the chilled cream and fruit, and it’s ready.

Why not include this fun-to-make, fun-to-eat sweet in an afternoon snack activity for older adults?

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mutō

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Warabi Mochi in Anmitsu Style

Oyachube! “Anmitsu-style Warabi Mochi”

Warabi-mochi has a jiggly, gelatinous texture in your mouth.

It’s often dusted with kinako (roasted soybean flour), but topping it with matcha or drizzling it with kuromitsu (brown sugar syrup) is also delicious.

Warabi-mochi is made with warabi starch, though using warabi starch can sometimes result in a slightly firmer texture.

Try some tweaks, like using a store-bought kit that yields softer warabi-mochi, or making a soft version with potato starch (katakuriko).

You can also turn it into an anmitsu-style dessert by adding sweet red bean paste and fruit, then drizzling kuromitsu on top.

It transforms warabi-mochi into a more festive Japanese sweet than usual, and it’s likely to be enjoyed by older adults as well.

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Nakajima Junko

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Bear muffin

[Microwave for 1 Minute] Great as a gift! Just mix and zap! How to make chewy bear-shaped muffins.

Let us introduce cute bear muffins you can make in the microwave.

Put Oreos in a food storage bag and crush them finely with a rolling pin or similar tool.

If you keep going until they’re powdery, the result will look nicer.

Add milk and mix well to finish the batter.

If you cut off a corner of the bag, it becomes a spout as is.

Pour the batter into cups until they’re 80% full, tap out the air, and decorate the ears with chocolate chip cookies.

Cover with plastic wrap and heat in the microwave.

Once they’ve cooled slightly, draw the faces with a chocolate pen, and they’re done.

It sounds fun to make your own unique bear and swap them with friends.

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kojifumi

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Sakura Cheese Terrine

How to Make Sakura Cheese Terrine ☆ Rich, Moist, Melt-in-Your-Mouth Terrine ♪ An Easy Dessert—Just Mix and Bake ☆ -How to make Sakura Cheese Terrine- [Culinary Researcher Yukari]

Terrine, a French word meaning “container,” is a dessert made by packing ingredients into a lidded mold.

Its smooth texture makes it easy and enjoyable for seniors as well.

First, make the batter by mixing melted cream cheese with egg whites.

Next, add melted butter, chocolate, and granulated sugar, then sprinkle in sakura powder.

Pour in warmed heavy cream and combine the two mixtures.

Add lemon juice, bake in the oven, and it’s ready.

Try making this vibrant pink, cherry blossom–themed sweet as a springtime treat.

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mutō

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Baked churros

[No-Fry, Easy] How to Make Churros Without Frying Using Pancake Mix

Let’s try making theme park–favorite churros as a snack activity at a senior care facility! This recipe doesn’t require deep-frying, which lowers the hurdle for preparation.

Put milk and oil in a pot and heat over medium.

Once it comes to a boil, turn off the heat and add pancake mix, stirring to combine.

Be careful not to burn yourself.

Beat eggs in a bowl, then add them to the dough you just made in two additions.

At first the dough won’t come together easily, but if you use a spatula to cut through it finely and then repeatedly press the dough against the bowl and fold it over, it will come together more smoothly.

Transfer the dough to a piping bag fitted with a star tip, pipe onto parchment paper, and bake in the oven.

The toasty aroma makes this a mouthwatering treat!

Strawberry jelly cake

Strawberry jelly cake 🍓

The vivid red of strawberries really makes you feel that the weather is warming up and spring is on its way, doesn’t it? This cake makes the most of that bright red look, with a soft texture thanks to jelly.

Crumble cookies to make a base, then pour in a mixture of milk warmed with sugar and gelatin to form the foundation, and arrange strawberries on top.

After that, pour in clear jelly, chill, and let it set to finish.

You can fully enjoy the natural flavor of the strawberries, so it’s recommended to adjust the jelly’s flavor to complement them.

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kappamaki

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