It’s a real cake. Tteok Cake by Siroo Cake is just as pretty and delicious as a regular cake sold at a bakery. Cake sheets are made of seolgitteok(steamed rice cake), and for whipped cream, the Siroo Cake owner uses her own recipe, adding ingredients that would complement the cake flavor to whipped cream made 100% of milk. Siroo Cake started business after the owner tried adding baking ingredients such as whipped cream and chocolate to tteok as she wondered how to enhance the flavor of tteok. She was fascinated by the flavors she created and began working on her own recipes for various tteok cakes.

‘Salgu,’ ‘Ssukbli,’ and ‘Santtalgiwa Muhwagwa.’ These puzzling names are all on the chapssaltteok(Korean-version red bean mochi) menu by Chadamjung. You are first surprised at the shape of chapssaltteok and second at the taste. ‘Salgu’ tteok indeed looks like an apricot and features apricot puree and Ricotta cheese. ‘Ssukbli’ is a short for ssuk(mugwort), blueberries, and Ricotta cheese. It has Gorgonzola cheese, belonging to the blue cheese category, and pecans. ‘Santtalgiwa Muhwagwa’ means raspberries and figs which are simmered in wine before becoming the filling. “I’m not a big fan of soy or red beans. So I thought about adding new ingredients to tteok. I decided to create the filling with the fruits I like.” Owner Jung Ji-eun explains how she began using new ingredients that were rarely used in rice cakes and ended up creating unique flavors with a hint of familiarity. 

‘Kimssibooin’ is a Korean dessert cafe with both traditional aspects and modern ambience. If you have some time, the best way to enjoy the charming cafe is to sit in the screened-in section and relax while tasting hangwa and tteok on soban, a small portable table. Or you can skip that and buy a gift set that contains both the taste and charm of the cafe. The most common oil-and-honey pastry in Korea, ‘Yakgwa’ literally means confectionery with a medicinal effect. ‘Gaeseong Juak’ is a valuable food that is only served during wedding ceremonies or important village parties. Yakgwa and Gaeseong juak are not only flavorful but pretty. With a gift order, each dessert unit will be placed in a wooden box and delivered to the designated address.

An old proverb has it that what looks good also tastes good. But that doesn’t quite suit injeolmi (rice cake made with glutinous rice and covered with bean powder) made by Dosuhyang. It’s only a slight exaggeration that Dosuhyang has taken over the injeolmi market with its North Korean-style product. Dosuhyang doesn’t sell anything else. Injeolmi boxes come in small, medium, large and extra large boxes, depending on the number of pieces inside them. The North Korean injeolmi is covered with adzuki bean paste. The message on the Website states that injeolmi at Dosuhyang are made with minimal amounts of seasoning and maximum amounts of heart and effort, using only the finest ingredients. Indeed, people there use stone mills to pound glutinous rice and make each injeolmi pieces by hand. They take the shape of closed fists and come in many different forms. But that’s what makes Dosuhyang’s injeolmi so endearing. It’s not overly sweet but it’s still so delicious as to keep you reaching for one after another. Once you’ve had a taste of it, you’ll keep coming back for more. It makes for a great gift for grown-ups and children alike.

Having originated in China, yanggaeng(sweet red bean jelly) was a big hit in Japan and was subsequently developed there. Koreans think of it as a popular traditional dessert. Made by boiling red beans, yanggaeng has a smooth texture and a sweet taste. But its texture and taste are not always compatible with everybody. For them, we recommend trying Geumokdang yanggaeng. It might make them rethink their preferences. Geumokdang has a total of 16 flavors, including red bean, chestnut, green tea, walnut, raspberry, milk tea, jujube, sweet pumpkin, black sesame, cranberry, and Pistacchio, to name a few. There’s gotta be at least one flavor that could bring a change of heart.

Gangjeong is a traditional confectionery that was served on a special occasion, along with yakgwa and dashik(tea confectionery). There are various gangjeong types including soy, sesame, and pine nut. ‘Gangjeong House’ CEO Hwang In-taek focuses on diversifying Korean desserts under the slogan ‘Young Tradition.’ Eleven years ago, he wanted to find a way to enjoy gangjeong more easily instead of just on special holidays. He believed that nutritious main ingredients including various nuts and dried fruits and the healthy gangjeong recipe could be used to create a new dessert that is even better for the body. Out came the brand’s signature ‘Energy Bar’ which is easy to carry around and packed with nutrients, courtesy of peaches from Icheon, figs from Haenam, and local sesame seeds and walnuts. Homemade at the shop, there are seven types of Energy Bar.