White Bean Paste Nerikiri Bunny

Prepare the Filling: Weigh out white bean paste filling into 20g portions and roll into balls. Cover with cling wrap and place in freezer to harden up a bit. It should be hard enough to hold its shape but still be malleable.

Weigh and Prepare the Outer Wrapping: Weigh out 90g white bean paste dough. Weigh out further in 15g portions and roll into a 6 balls, flatten each ball to a 2 1/4 inch (6 cm) diameter circles, cover with plastic wrap and let cool in fridge.

Weigh out 42g white bean paste dough. Add red gel coloring, a little at a time, and knead dough until color spreads through. Add more red coloring as needed to achieve an even pink color.

When desired color has been reached weigh out further into 7 g portions and shape each in 1 1/2 inch (4 cm) long rods, cover in cling wrap and let cool in the fridge for 8 mins.

Remove one piece each of white and pink dough from fridge. Use a knuckle to make an indent about 2/3 of the way up the white dough. The indent should go halfway thru the dough.

Place end of pink dough rod straight upwards in the indent. Flatten pink dough on top of white dough gently until the pink dough is level with white dough. Don't go completely to the side with the pink, leave a bit of a white border.

Wrap the Nerikiri: Place filling in the center of pink side of outer wrapping dough. Place all into palm of one hand. Close up the outer wrapping by rotating with other hand while pulling up with fingers to enclose filling. Use thumb at the same time to help push the filling in. Close the outer wrapping completely around the filling.

Roll gently between palms of hands to smooth out into a ball. Pinpoint the area where the pink shows thru the most and let it be on top. Shape further into an egg shape.

Add the Bunny Ears: Use round clay shaping tool or something similar to gently push out two ears, at a slight angle to the sides, making a kinda V, from the pointy end of the shape towards the round end. Start with a shallow touch and go a bit heavier towards the ends of the ear. You will see the pink underneath revealed, forming the ears.

Add Bunny Eyes: Slightly wet the flat tip of a toothpick or chopstick. Use it to pick up sesame seeds. Position it how you want, then press just a bit to secure.

Add Bunny Tail: Use triangular point clay tool to make a small hole in the bunny's bottom side where you want the tail to be. Make a tear drop shape with a bit of white bean paste dough (the size you want the tail to be.) Stick the sharp end of tear drop into the hole and press gently, the tail should stick on. Once it sticks gently shape the tail into round shape. Ta-Da! One bunny ready for Easter duty!

The nerikiri keeps in the fridge in an air tight container for 2-3 days. After that if you're still keeping them put it in the freezer for up to 1 week. Enjoy your Bunnies and Happy Easter to all!