Castella


Castella is a kind of Wagashi originally developed in Japan based on the "Nanban confectionery" transmitted from Portugal. There is no confectionery called “Castella” in Portugal, and the prototype confectionery described later also differs in appearance and manufacturing method from Kasutera. Nagasaki is the home of Kasutera in Japan, and the so-called "Nagasaki Kasutera" is based on Fukusaya in Nagasaki City, Nagasaki Prefecture, and does not mean a famous confection in Nagasaki Prefecture, but is a generic term for those which have the same manufacturing method. The batter is poured into large square or rectangular molds, baked in an oven and cut into long rectangular shapes. Since it uses Mizuame, it has a moist texture.
Now a specialty of Nagasaki, the cake was brought to Japan by Portuguese merchants in the 16th century. The name is derived from Portuguese Pão de Castela, meaning "bread from Castile". Castella cake is usually sold in long boxes, with the cake inside being approximately 27 cm long. It is somewhat similar to Madeira cake, also associated with Portugal, but its closest relative is , also a Portuguese cake.
There are similar types of sponge cakes named after the same fashion, in Pain d'Espagne, in Pan di Spagna, in Portuguese: Pão d’Espanha, in Pandișpan, in пандишпан, in Παντεσπάνι, in Pandispanya.. A similar cake, called taisan, is a traditional dessert in Pampanga province in the Philippines.

History

In the 16th century, the Portuguese reached Japan and soon started trade and missionary work. Nagasaki was then the only Japanese port open for foreign commerce. The Portuguese introduced many then-unusual things, such as guns, tobacco, and pumpkins. The cake could be stored for a long time, and so was useful for the sailors who were out on the sea for months. In the Edo period, in part due to the cost of sugar, castella was an expensive dessert to make despite the ingredients sold by the Portuguese. When the Emperor of Japan's envoy was invited, the Tokugawa shogunate presented the Castella. Over the years, the taste changed to suit Japanese palates.

Varieties

There are now many varieties made with ingredients such as powdered green tea, brown sugar, and honey. They may be molded in various shapes; a popular Japanese festival food is baby castella, a bite-sized version.
Siberia, castella cake filled with youkan, was popular in the Meiji era; it had a resurgence since it appeared in the 2013 animated film The Wind Rises, by Hayao Miyazaki.
Castella mix is used for the pancakes that are sandwiched together with sweet adzuki bean paste in the confection known as dorayaki.

Taiwanese Castella

Castella were first introduced to Taiwan during the age of Taiwan under Japanese rule. In 1968, Ye Yongqing, the owner of a Japanese bakery in Taipei named Nanbanto, partnered with the Japanese company Nagasaki Honpu to establish a castella business. Another company Hometown of One, established in 1975, adapted the recipe to better suit Taiwanese tastes, creating varieties that incorporated Taiwanese Longan honey and Japanese cheese. With these changes and with heavy promotion, castella quickly became a favourite amongst the Taiwanese people.

Honey Castella

The most popular variety of castella in Taiwan is Honey Castella. Honey is not a necessary ingredient in the original Japanese recipe, and honey castella are therefore uncommon in Japan. However, in Taiwan, customers prefer this modified version of castella, which has a strong scent of thick honey.

Rock-Baked Castella

Another Taiwanese variety, rock-baked castella is a double-baked cake in a circular shape, with a honey castella base and a cheese-based topping. They are usually more expensive than honey castella.