Basic Sweet Mochi (An Mochi) Recipe
This is the sweet version of our Basic Savory Mochi. The addition of corn syrup allows the dough to remain soft, even when wrapped around ice cream. Though untraditional, if you have some rice cakes leftover, try them toasted under the broiler for a few minutes.
What to buy: Mochiko is glutinous rice flour that is commonplace in Japan. It can be found at Asian markets.
Game plan: For the best texture, form the mochi immediately after making the dough. The mochi can be formed and stored, covered, in the freezer for up to 7 days. Be sure to let them defrost before using.
This recipe was featured as part of our New Year’s, Japanese Style story.
- 1 1/2 cups mochiko, plus more for dusting
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 1/3 cups water
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
- Place mochiko and salt in a large bowl and stir until thoroughly combined.
- Combine water, sugar, and corn syrup in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce to a simmer and cook, stirring, until sugar is dissolved, about 5 to 6 minutes.
- Make a well in the center of the mochiko mixture and pour in the sugar syrup. Stir until all flour is incorporated. Immediately turn dough onto a work surface lightly floured with mochiko and knead until smooth and elastic, about 4 to 5 minutes; dust with more mochiko as needed to prevent sticking.
- Pinch off tablespoon-size pieces and, using a floured rolling pin or your hands, flatten into 3-inch circles about 1/8 inch thick.
- Dust rice cakes with mochiko and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Cover in plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator or freezer, or use as desired.
absolutely terrible. just attempted to make this with this recipe, and by goodness. Sticky mess. I tried to salvage it, but nope. Wasted half a box trying to make half of this recipe. HALF! I wish I knew where the old recipe I had of mochi, because that set the bar. tldr; If you want a grainy mess, waste of money and time, club hand 3 times over, then this recipe is for you.
Yes, when the dough is made, I would steam it. I just put the whole thing in a bowl (sprayed with oil) and put the bowl on top of a steamer and steam for oh, about 15 minutes or so (maybe longer). Then bring it out and roll the dough into balls. The mochi will be hot, so work quickly with it. The ladies in the mochi store I used to go to as a child had bandage tape wrapped around the end of their fingers while they did this.
As the folks above have suggested, this recipe is lacking a key step. Don't make this! It's gross, and a nightmare to knead.
The recipe is definitely missing the cooking the rice step. Mochico flour is not instant rice!
All of the following recipes assume you cook the rice flour mixture, often microwaving - I wasn't able to find a single recipe where you didn't. Anyone have any insight? I want to make these, but not if they'll turn out grainy! http://japanesefood.about.com/od/mochi/a/aboutmochi.htm http://www.meltingwok.com/2007/05/japanese-rice-cake-mochi.html http://www.grouprecipes.com/501/mochi.html http://www.recipezaar.com/151186 http://www.ehow.com/how_2041584_mochi-ice-cream.html http://www.wikihow.com/Make-Mochi-Ice-Cream http://cookingismypassion.blogspot.com/2006/11/making-mochi.html
Diana - Sorry! I just noticed you made it this weekend. Glad you liked it. I don't generally have problems with graininess, but sometimes I have problems with lumps.
Diana - you can stuff with sweet bean paste or other traditional fillings. Make a little disk that tapers on the edges, about the size of your inner palm. Place a teaspoon or so of filling, and wrap up the disk around it. pinch it closed and place the closed side down. There might be a prettier way to make them, but this works well. moh - I've never seen steaming as a step in mochi making. Perhaps the rice cakes you're making involve steaming to cook the rice? This uses rice flour, which doesn't need to be cooked because it's kept in a sticky paste form. (which is delicious). I'll have to try to add corn syrup to mine, this is new to me.
Made this to go with homemade green tea ice cream. Was disappointed with the grainy texture and wasn't able to salvage by heating b/c I had already kneaded it. Remade the mochi with a recipe requiring steaming.
MAde them this weekend. Dang, that dough is STICKY! Forget "lightly floured" you're gonna need a lot. Also, silly me should have used common sense, dough mixed with hot sugar syrup is way too hot to "knead immediately". A little grainier than the pro mochi, but flavorful filled with bean paste!
I have a question. Whenever I have seen a recipe for rice cakes, there is usually some steaming involved. Yet in this recipe, there is no steaming of the dough. Is this correct?
Can you stuff them with lotus, sweet red bean paste and sweet black bean paste? How would I do that?
You should be able to substitute cane syrup or honey, but it may change the flavor slightly. There is a Korean version here: http://www.chowhound.com/topics/451127#3041710 and here: http://www.chowhound.com/topics/451127#3051735
Kate and Aida--Is there an alternative to corn syrup, perhaps a cane syrup like Lyle's golden syrup, that I could use instead of corn syrup? I'm allergic to corn and its derivatives.
i live in Hawaii and b/c theres such a strong Japanese influence, you can get mochi pretty much anywhere. we make mochi with actual sweet rice, but that technique is harder and takes longer..... you CAN add some color to this recipie. we make green, pink and white mochi by just adding food coloring (well, not with the white mochi of course).... good stuff.