mochiko flour

Nothing compares to the texture of fresh mochi, the sweet, delightfully chewy Japanese rice dough. And when you make it yourself (which takes about 10 minutes), you can really enjoy it fresh, at the peak of its textural pleasures. Chop up the cooled mochi and toss it in roasted soybean flour, and it's ready to go as a sweet snack or ice cream topping. Or, as in this recipe, put in some extra time and wrap the sticky dough around a simple red bean filling to make daifuku. The pastry chef Tomoko Kato uses shiratamako flour processed in Japan, but mochiko flour can be easier to find, and the results are similar.

Sweet Mochi With Red Bean Filling

dried azuki beans

sugar

salt

Potato starch,

flour rice

Make the filling: Rinse the beans and transfer to a large pot. Cover the beans with water and bring to a boil; drain. Cover the beans again with water and this time simmer until they are completely tender, about an hour to an hour and a half, adding more water if necessary to keep the beans submerged. Drain.

Purée the drained beans in a food processor or blender to make a smooth paste. If the beans are too dry to catch the blades, add a few tablespoons of water. Return the bean purée to the same pot and stir in the sugar and salt. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until most of the water has evaporated and the purée is very thick, 10 to 15 minutes. Spread bean paste in a wide, shallow container and refrigerate until firm and cool.

Meanwhile, make the mochi dough: Line a sheet pan with a piece of parchment paper and spread a generous heap of potato starch in a large circle; set aside. In a bowl, whisk together the mochiko flour and 1 1/3 cup/300 milliliters water until smooth. Pour mixture through a mesh strainer into a saucepan, using the whisk to help push it through if necessary. Add the sugar and mix well. Switch to a heatproof spatula and cook the mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens and comes together as one big, smooth, shiny mass that can hold its shape, 5 to 7 minutes.

Using a starch-dusted knife, cut the dough into 20 even pieces. (If eating plain, or as an ice cream topping, cut into 40 to 50 smaller pieces.) One at a time, use a rolling pin to roll a piece of mochi dough into a thick, flat disk about 2 inches by 2 inches. Use potato starch liberally to keep the dough from sticking to your work surface, the rolling pin or your fingers. Roll a scant tablespoon of bean paste between your hands to form a ball and place it in the center of the rolled-out dough piece. Use your fingers to evenly stretch the mochi dough up and around the filling without squishing it, pinching the dough shut at the top to seal it, and then gently rolling the mochi between your hands to form a rounded shape. Set on the parchment-lined baking sheet with the seam on the bottom. Eat the filled mochi the day they’re made, or cover and store in the refrigerator for 1 day.

With a recipe that calls for exactly a can each of coconut and evaporated milks, butter mochi seems like the prime hapa example of classic postwar dump-and-stir baking. Packed with brown butter and brown sugar, this version is rife with the nutty, butterscotch notes of caramelization. The way the thick, dark crust contrasts with the chewy, faintly tropical center will bring the French canelé to mind, but these little cakes are a lot easier to make!

Brown-Butter Mochi

unsalted

coconut milk

evaporated milk

(16 ounces) dark brown sugar

eggs,

vanilla extract

(21 ounces) mochiko (glutinous-rice) flour

baking powder

fine sea salt

Adjust oven racks to upper and lower-middle positions. Preheat oven to 350.

Generously grease two cupcake tins with butter, including the outer rims of each mold (this will ensure the cakes release after baking). Set aside.

Place butter in a medium saucepan, and set over medium heat. Cook, swirling, until the foam subsides and the butter turns golden brown and begins to smell nutty, about 4 minutes. Turn off heat, and add coconut and evaporated milks and sugar. Whisk until sugar and coconut milk melt. Transfer mixture to a medium bowl. Add eggs and vanilla, and whisk until smooth. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together mochiko flour, baking powder and salt. Pour milk mixture into dry mixture, and whisk until smooth. Scoop a scant 1/2 cup of batter into each cupcake mold (enough to fill each mold just under the brim). Gently drop filled pans onto countertop from a height of 3 inches to release any air bubbles.

Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, rotating pans and switching their positions after 30 minutes or so to ensure even baking (decrease baking time by 10 minutes if using a nonstick dark metal tin). The mochi are done when they are butterscotch brown on top and an inserted skewer comes out mostly, but not completely, clean.

Lightly run a butter knife along the sides of each mold, then invert tins to release mochi, and cool on a wire rack for 10 to 15 minutes. Don’t worry if the cakes feel soft or underbaked when you pick them up — it’s just the nature of mochi.

Store leftover mochi in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.

Top 2 mochiko flour recipes from across the web

The most viewed mochiko flour recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine

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Sweet Mochi With Red Bean Filling

Brown-Butter Mochi

Top 2 mochiko flour recipes from across the web

The most viewed mochiko flour recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

Sweet Mochi With Red Bean Filling

Brown-Butter Mochi

The most viewed mochiko flour recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine