Chef Furukawa is the owner and head chef of Ukishima Kobo, a pastry shop in Hagi City of Yamaguchi Prefecture. We had the pleasure of meeting Chef Furukawa in person during our recent Japan trip and enjoying some of the bakery’s Yuzu pastries, including their famous "Legendary Nama Cream Puffs. Since opening in 2014, Ukishima Kobo has come up with many creative and delicious ways to incorporate Japanese citrus extracts into their treats.
Born and raised in Hagi City, Chef Furukawa’s family has been in the pastry business ever since his great-great-grandfather opened his first bakery. At their peak, their family owned a chain of seven to eight bakeries in the Hagi area named Kobe-Ya. His father, a pastry chef, also owned a Kobe-Ya location. After high school, Chef Furukawa left his hometown to go to college in Yokohama, but in the back of his mind, he had a feeling that his path would lead him to the culinary arts, too.
Q. When did you first start seriously contemplating the world of pastry as a career?
Funny enough, my first culinary position was not at Kobe-Ya but at Mont-Blanc, a pastry shop in Jiyugaoka, Tokyo; it was the first bakery in Japan to introduce the classic French Mont-blanc pastry, topped with stringy chestnut purée and whipped cream.
Q. How did your journey lead you back to Hagi City?
After spending about 10 years in Tokyo, my father’s health was declining, so I moved back home to be with my family. Shortly after he passed, my uncle took over the pastry shop in Hagi, but the business was struggling. In 2009, my uncle decided to close all of the shops, putting an end to our 50-year run serving the people of Hagi. A few years later, I started receiving numerous requests for Kobe-Ya’s famous Legendary Nama Cream Puffs from Hagi community members. So, in 2014, I opened Ukishima Kobo, where we offer many popular family recipes as well as seasonal creations.
Q.When did you decide to start using KANKITSU products at Ukishima Kobo?
Citrus is a huge part of the culture here, so it comes as no surprise that many local customers asked for desserts that incorporate some of the native fruits. The people of Hagi mean a lot to me and my family, so I do my best to accommodate their requests.
Q. What are some of your favorite ways to use KANKITSU Japanese citrus products in your desserts?
Lemon juice is a pretty common ingredient in cheesecake-based pastries, which we make a lot of. However, instead of lemon juice, I use Yuzu juice, Sudachi juice, and ponzu, which can add a nice umami flavor to balance the sweetness, so you can be sure there’s some KANKITSU extract in every cheesecake pastry at Ukishima Kobo.
Q. So, if the original cheesecake recipe calls for 100mL of lemon juice, could you replace it with 100mL yuzu juice?
Yes, you can substitute Japanese citrus extracts at a 1:1 ratio.
Q. Yuzu pairs well with cheese, but we’ve heard that citrus juice generally doesn’t mix well with dairy products. Do you have any tricks for incorporating it into dairy-based recipes?
I find the best way to make sure the citrus juice incorporates well is to make a sauce before mixing it with any dairy products. For example, when I make my Yuzu/Sudachi Fresh Cream Puffs, I make a Yuzu/Sudachi sauce with the extracts before mixing it into the whipped cream.
Q. Can you tell us about the Japanese citrus pastries you shared with us? (pictured below)
Of course. We have Yuzu and Sudachi Legendary Nama Cream Puffs; the sudachi-flavored cream puffs are made with fresh sudachi zest since it’s in season. We also have KANKITSU glazed donuts, crème brulée, cookies, and an iced sudachi and matcha beverage. I love to update my menu seasonally to constantly provide our new and loyal customers with new flavor experiences. For instance, during cherry blossom season, I offer sakura nama cream puffs. Every now and then, I also like to experiment with unusual flavors, like pickled radish nama cream puffs!