For centuries, apple growers in Japan’s Aomori Prefecture have been creating beautiful heirloom apples using the mojie ringo technique. The process is pretty simple, which basically means exposing the apple to sunlight for a period of time and then applying stencils to ensure that certain parts of the apple peel are discolored. Usually, mojie ringo apples are decorated with messages and symbols of good luck and prosperity, and given as gifts. Large apple varieties like Mutsu or Stark Jumbo are best suited for the mojie ringo technique, as they provide more surface area for intricate designs. The apples using the mojie ringo technique are extremely beautiful. Preparations begin in January, with a pruning operation, to ensure that the remaining flowers receive plenty of sunlight. Growers then use soft wands to hand-pollinate each apple tree flower, and then when the fruit begins to form, they are covered with a laminated plastic bag to both protect the berries from Pests just block sunlight. Keeping apples in the dark for long periods of time increases their sensitivity to light, so when they remove the plastic bags, they begin to produce anthocyanins, a component that gives the skin its red color. In the final stage of the mojie ringo process, stencils are applied over the surface of the apple to ensure that only the skin around the stencils turns red. The stencils are removed during harvesting, revealing the almost white skin underneath. Stencils need to be flexible, as the fruit continues to grow, and otherwise, the style may suffer. According to Culture Trip, the Mojie Ringo technique was perfected by Aomori farmer Haruo Iwasaki, father of Chisato Iwasaki, one of today’s most talented apple artisans. Although the mojie ringo technique may seem quite simple, it requires a lot of work and patience over the long term, and for many growers the effort and attention are insignificant economically. That’s why the old tradition is slowly fading away, only a few Aomori gardens still keep this technique. The mojie ringo technique is also very popular in China and other Asian countries under the name of “tattooing apples”.

With the Mojie Ringo technique, Japanese farmers harness the power of the sun to create beautiful apples without the use of any chemicals. This process is called apple tattooing. Basically, apple growers expose the fruit to sunlight for a period of time and then use stencil molds to shape as desired, keeping the rest of the color unchanged. Usually, the looker will decorate the Mojie Ringo apple with writings that carry messages and symbols of luck and prosperity. Large apple varieties such as Mutsu or Stark Jumbo are best suited to apply the Mojie Ringo technique. With a lot of surface area, one can create complex designs. To apply this perennial technique, apple growers start preparing in January. They prune the branches to make sure the flowers get the most sunlight Growers then use soft-bristled wands to hand-pollinate each flower. When the fruit begins to form, people cover the apple with a multi-layer plastic bag to both protect the fruit from pests and block sunlight. Keeping apples in the dark for a long time increases their sensitivity to light, so when you remove the plastic bags, apples begin to produce anthocyanins, a component that gives the skin its red color. In the final stage of the Mojie Ringo process, a printed stencil mold is placed on the surface of the apple to ensure that only the skin around the stencil turns red. Placing the stencils needs to be flexible, as the fruit continues to grow, otherwise the style may suffer. The Mojie Ringo technique was perfected by Aomori farmer Haruo Iwasaki, father of Chisato Iwasaki, one of today’s most talented apple artisans. Although the Mojie Ringo technique seems quite simple, it requires a lot of work and patience in the long run. It is also one of the reasons many growers no longer pursue this traditional look. There are only a few Aomori orchards that produce eye-catching apples.

RESOURCES Pineapple filling (This recipe makes 8 employees 20g): – 1 pineapple 500g; – 2 tablespoons of malt; – 1 tablespoon of sugar (reduced from the acidity of the pineapple); Spoon (spoon): 15ml spoon type; Wrapper: (This recipe makes 16 shells weighing 20g) – 130g unsalted butter (preferably unsalted animal butter) to be very soft at room temperature but not drained; – 35g sweetened condensed milk; – 2 egg yolks; -165g all-purpose flour. Note about raw materials: 1- Can make different types of filling according to your preferences such as pineapple, carrot, kiwi … 2- Using butter will taste better and make the cake softer than margarine. MAKING: Step 1: Make Pineapple Filling Pineapple bought, peeled, removed eyes, washed, chopped, put in a blender puree, used a sieve to remove water, this water can be mixed with drinking water for free. Put the crushed pineapple in a non-stick pan, stir over low heat, add sugar, malt sugar; stirring occasionally. The pineapple drains out of the water and rinses it up. Put the pineapple filling in the refrigerator cooler to make it easier to squeeze the pellets. Divide the kernel into small portions, each 20 grams each, round. Note: avoid pineapple slug too dry when baking will be hard, not too wet slug will crack the shell. Step 2: Make the cake crust – Add butter and condensed milk to a bowl, mix with a hard spoon or machine at lowest speed until the mixture is homogeneous, then add 1 egg yolk to mix until just blended. – Sift the dough into two parts, mix well. After mixing the dough, gently knead it with your hands until it becomes a block (slightly wet). Seal the dough, let it refrigerate for about 1 hour until the dough is hard and free of stickiness. If you do not want to do it immediately, you can freeze it, before using it to thaw in the refrigerator cooler. Divide the shells into 20 -25 gram portions. Note: Each dough has different water absorption, so the crust may have different dry / wet. If the crust is too dry, the cake will become dough, dry or tough when it is done. Therefore, depending on the state of your dough, add or remove dough. If the dough is too dry, you can save it by adding a little egg yolks or cooking oil. If you want to create a layer of green leaves on the pineapple cake, reduce about 1/5 of the flour, add 1 teaspoon of green tea powder, mix well. Step 3: Create cake shape – Rub a little dry powder into your hands to prevent stickiness. Round a portion of the dough and press flat, put the staff in the middle and then wrap, round. It should be close to the shell with the kernel, to avoid gaps and air in the middle, when baking, the crust will be swollen or cracked. Dip the knife in water and use the thick back of the knife to create a texture on the cake. It can be shaped into a circle, rectangle or oval. If there is a pineapple shaped mold, divide the green tea powder into 5g cubes, press the top part of the pineapple mold to create a more beautiful pineapple leaf shape. – Prepare a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Do not use the black tray that comes with the oven because the heat transferred to the tray is usually higher, making the base of the cake burn easily. Place the cake on the baking tray and finish with the rest. – Beat one egg yolk with 5 ml of unsweetened fresh milk. Gently sweep the egg over the cake. Be careful not to sweep thick because the crust will easily crack when baking. Note: If it is hot or slow operation, you should keep the crust in the refrigerator to make it easier to squeeze, the crust does not stick to your hands (due to melted butter). Step 4: Bake the cake – Preheat oven to 180 degrees C (355 degrees F), upper and lower fire 10 minutes before; Bake in the middle groove of the oven, 180 degrees C (355 degrees F) for 15-17 minutes until the crust is dry, the cake can be easily lifted off the parchment and has a nice yellow color. – Take the tray out of the oven, let the cake cool down on the tray. Do not move while the cake is still hot as it will break. – When the cake has cooled, store in a sealed box (should have a desiccant bag), keep in a cool and dry place. Use within 1 week. You can decorate a different way for the pineapple cake: rub a little water and stick pictures of fresh and edible flowers on the pineapple cake before baking. This way, do not spread the yolk on the top of the cake. Good luck!