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1
Cut the pressed tofu into rectangular pieces of approximately 8 × 4 × 2 cm. The tofu must be pressed between weighted boards for a full 30 minutes before cutting: lay it on a clean board, place a second board on top, and rest a weight of roughly 500 g above. Drain away all expressed liquid. The surface of the pressed tofu should feel dry and slightly firm to the touch — if moisture beads on the cut face, press for a further 10 minutes.
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2
Thread each tofu rectangle onto a flat wooden skewer, entering from the base and stopping short of the top face. Flat skewers are required: round skewers allow the tofu to rotate, preventing even glaze coverage.
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3
Prepare the dengaku miso. Combine the miso, mirin, sake, and sugar in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir continuously as the mixture warms — it will loosen before tightening again. Cook until the glaze is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon cleanly and holds its position without running when the spoon is held level. Remove from heat. This is where the dish lives or dies: a glaze too thin will drip onto the grill and burn away; too thick it will scorch before the miso develops its Maillard bittersweet complexity. The cooked paste should be glossy, uniform, and slow to fall from the spoon.
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4
Apply a generous, even coat of dengaku miso to one flat face of each skewered tofu rectangle using a small spatula or the back of a spoon. The coat should be visible — approximately 2–3 mm — without overhanging the edges.
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5
Grill the skewers, glazed face toward the heat source, over charcoal or under a broiler at high heat. Grill until the miso caramelises to a deep amber-brown with occasional darker patches at the edges — the smell shifts from sweet miso to a complex, bittersweet, roasted aroma, and the surface blisters very lightly. Pale, evenly cream-coloured miso is insufficient: the Maillard browning is the preparation's defining character.
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6
For the double-glaze technique, remove the skewers from heat, apply a second coat of dengaku miso over the first caramelised layer, and return to the grill. The second pass builds a layered caramelisation of greater depth than a single coat. The second coat should show the same amber browning as the first before the skewers are removed.
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7
Transfer the finished skewers to a serving board or plate. Scatter sesame seeds or kinome leaves over the glazed surface immediately. Serve without delay — dengaku is eaten warm, from the skewer.