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1
Press the tofu between kitchen towels and set a weight on top for 20 minutes. Cut the pressed block into rectangular pieces suitable for skewering — traditionally finger-width slabs. Salt the surface lightly and allow 5 minutes for residual moisture to draw out, then pat dry. Thread each piece onto bamboo skewers.
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2
Combine the shiro miso, mirin, sake, sugar, and egg yolk in a small saucepan. Stir continuously over low heat for approximately 5 minutes until the mixture thickens to a glossy, spreadable consistency — it must coat the back of a spoon and hold its shape when spread, not pour. Remove from heat. The dengaku miso is done when the surface is smooth and lacquer-like, not grainy or pourable.
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3
Grill the skewered tofu over charcoal or under a grill on high heat, turning once, until the surface is lightly dried, structured, and shows faint Maillard colour on each face. This initial grilling creates the surface architecture that holds the glaze; un-grilled tofu's residual moisture will prevent adhesion. The tofu is ready when the exterior feels firm and slightly resistant to a light press and carries pale gold patches.
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4
Apply the dengaku miso to one face of each skewered piece in a thin, even layer — the Kyoto ideal is a gleaming lacquer, not a thick paste. Return the tofu to high heat, miso-side toward the flame or element, for the briefest time sufficient to caramelise the miso's sugars and develop faint char at the edges. This is where the dish lives or dies: the miso must caramelise without crossing into bitter pyrolysis — the surface should blister and colour to a deep amber-mahogany with a few dark char marks, but the moment it smells acrid rather than sweet-smoky, it is past. Watch the surface without interruption.
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5
Serve immediately on the skewer. The finished glaze is thin and gleaming; the tofu beneath is structured and holds its form. Kinome leaves, yuzu zest, or a pinch of ground sesame may be placed on the surface as a seasonal garnish according to the variant prepared.