Soft, sweet and chewy mochi made from glutinous rice flour wrapped around a creamy ice-cream centre.
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What is mochi ice cream?
If you aren't familiar with mochi, mochi is a Japanese treat made from glutinous rice. Traditionally it is pounded into a paste with water and enjoyed as it is, rolled in flavorings like roasted soybean powder or filled with fillings like red bean paste.
Mochi ice cream is the Americans take on the traditional rice cake, but filled with ice cream instead! The outer skin is soft and chewy while the inside is cold and creamy.
This kind of mochi has been so widely loved that Japan has created their very own version called Yukimi daifuku, which can be found in all supermarkets and convenience stores!
Mochi ice cream has been popularised all around the world and now you can get it anywhere! But there's something about homemade mochi ice cream that hits different to store-bought... Plus you can fill it with whatever ice cream you like!
Traditionally mochi is made by pounding glutinous rice with a giant mortar and mallet, but this is a little difficult to recreate at home. Luckily we can recreate the same chewy texture using glutinous rice flour.
This recipe is incredibly simple, all you need to do is combine the glutinous rice flour, water, sugar, and your desired flavorings together in a bowl and zap it in the microwave.
The hardest part is wrapping the ice cream in mochi, but I've got all the tips below to make it as easy as possible, so let's get onto making some mochi ice cream!
What glutinous rice flour should I use?
There are a couple of different options when it comes to glutinous rice flour. All will work in this recipe, but some are better than other!
Mochiko is made from glutinous Japanese short-grain rice called mochigome and can be found in some Asian groceries. This kind of glutinous rice flour is great for making mochi! However, I have found that it is harder to source than regular glutinous rice flour which you may recognize as the Thai brand with green writing on the bag.
Shiratamako, also known as sweet rice flour, is made from mochigome but processed through a special method that leads to a finer, bouncier, and more pliable dough. If you have access to this, this is the best kind of glutinous rice flour to use as it yields the best texture!
Regular glutinous rice flour is made from long-grain rice, and while it will still work in mochi recipes, it has a slightly different flavor and texture to mochiko. The mochi made from regular glutinous rice flour tends to be higher in stickiness and chewiness than mochi made with mochiko or shiratamako, however, it will be equally as delicious!
Tips on wrapping the ice-cream
The hardest part of making mochi ice cream is wrapping the ice cream. Because ice cream melts so quickly and the mochi is sticky, it can be difficult to seal the ice cream within the skin. Here are a couple of tips that can help make the process easier!
Portion your ice cream and freeze
This is the most important step to keeping the ice cream from melting during assembly. Scoop the ice cream using a small ice cream scoop to create perfect spheres and place the scooped ice cream in a cupcake patty.
Allow these balls of ice cream to freeze for 3 hours or until frozen completely solid. The more frozen your ice cream is the easier it will be to assemble as it won't be melting all over the place!
Dust generously with cornstarch
Mochi dough straight out of the microwave is very sticky and difficult to handle. Make sure you dust your baking tray generously with cornstarch before transferring the dough to it. Then dust the dough with more cornstarch.
Excess cornstarch can always be dusted off with a pastry brush, so don't be shy! If you don't use enough the mochi will stick to your tray and rolling pin as you roll it out.
If you don't have cornstarch, potato starch is a great substitute!
Cool the mochi completely
As you will be wrapping the ice-cream it is important that the mochi has cooled completely before wrapping. This prevents the ice-cream from melting during the assembly process. The mochi will also becomes easier to handle as it cools.
Cut a round of mochi larger than the scoop of ice-cream
Make sure that the round of mochi you cut out is larger than the scoop of ice cream. If it isn't large enough you will have difficulty pulling the sides of the dough together. The bigger the round of mochi is, the easier it will be to enclose the ice cream, simply pinch off the excess dough and reuse it to create the other mochi ice-creams!
Flavor combinations you can try out
The best thing about these is their versatility! You can create any flavor combination you like with these, or fill them with your favorite ice-cream flavors.
I filled these with vanilla ice cream as a base, then created two flavors. One matcha and the other raspberry using matcha powder and freeze-dried raspberry powder. Feel free to change up the powders!
Here are a couple of examples:
- Chocolate: 2 teaspoon cocoa powder
- Hojicha: 2 teaspoon hojicha powder
- Ube: ¼ teaspoon ube extract
- Fruit i.e. strawberry, mango, and more: 1 tbs of any freeze-dried fruit powder
Frequently asked questions
How does the mochi stay soft in the freezer?
The secret to keeping the mochi soft is using the right amount of sugar. Sugar is important as it prevents the water in the mochi from freezing completely, allowing it to stay soft and chewy.
Can I reduce the sugar in the mochi?
I would recommend against reducing the sugar as it is the sugar that keeps the mochi soft while it freezes.
How to make mochi-ice cream without a microwave
If you don't have a microwave you can pour the batter into a heatproof bowl and place it in a steamer. Steam for about 20 minutes, or until the mochi is no longer opaque and milky. Remove from the steamer and continue to follow the recipe as it's written.
Where can I find glutinous rice flour?
When making mochi, mochiko is the preferred glutinous rice flour. However, it can be difficult to find. If you have a Japanese grocer near you that will be your best bet! Otherwise it is fine to use regular glutinous rice flour. Regular glutinous rice flour is a common ingredient and can be found in most asian groceries.
The ice-cream is preventing me from sealing the mochi, how do I fix this?
There can be a couple of reasons why you are having trouble forming your mochi. Once the ice-cream touches the edges of the mochi it prevents it from sealing due to the moisture. In order to prevent the ice-cream from touching the edges you need to ensure it is frozen solid and make sure the round of mochi you have cut out is large enough to enclose the whole ball of ice-cream.
Also work quickly! Keep the rest of the ice-cream balls in the freezer as you work on one and keep the ice-cream in the freezer when possible.
How long do these last?
These last for up to a week in the freezer. If stored for longer than that the mochi skin will get too firm and hard to chew.
How should I store these?
Place them in an airtight container in the freezer.
What is the best way to eat these?
The best way to enjoy these is by leaving them to sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before eating. This gives the mochi and ice-cream time to soften to the perfect texture. If eaten straight from the freezer they will be rock hard.
Why is my mochi ice cream hard?
If you eat your mochi ice cream straight out of the freezer it will be rock hard. Make sure you let it sit at room temperature for 10 minutes or so before consuming it for the best texture.
Let's Get Cooking
If you liked this recipe make sure to leave me a comment and rating down below, I would love to know how you went. Also don't forget to tag me on Instagram @catherine.desserts so I can see and share your desserts.
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Print📖 Recipe
Mochi Ice-Cream
Soft, sweet and chewy mochi made from glutinous rice flour wrapped around a creamy ice-cream centre.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 6 1x
- Category: Mochi
- Method: Intermediate
- Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients
- 130g Glutinous rice flour (1 cup)
- 240g Water (1 cup)
- 65g Sugar (⅓ cup)
- 2 tsp Matcha powder (optional- for matcha flavour)
- 2 tsp Freeze-dried raspberry powder (optional- for raspberry flavour)
- A few drops of food colouring, in your colour choice
- 6 scoops of your choice of ice-cream
- Cornstarch, for dusting
Instructions
- Line a cupcake tray with 6 paper cases
- Scoop your choice of ice-cream into 6 round balls and place them in the cupcake cases
- Place the ice-cream in the freezer to firm up for 3 hours, or overnight
- Combine the glutinous rice flour, water, sugar and matcha or freeze dried fruit powder (if you are using) together in a microwave-safe bowl and whisk to combine
- Cover with plastic wrap and use a fork to pierce several holes
- Microwave for 2 minutes on high
- Remove from the microwave and stir the mixture
- Re-cover with cling wrap and microwave for another minute, or until the mochi is no longer opaque and milky in colour
- Mix/pound your mochi for a minute or two, with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, until stretchy and elastic
- Generously dust a baking sheet with cornstarch
- Transfer the mochi to the baking sheet and dust with more cornstarch
- Gently roll the mochi out into a rectangle with a rolling pin, dusting with more cornstarch as required- as the mochi is very sticky the cornstarch prevents it from sticking to your work surface, hands and rolling pin
- Dust the excess cornstarch from the mochi dough with a pastry brush
- Use a large cookie cutter or small bowl to cut out circles from the mochi dough that are large enough to wrap around your scoop of ice-cream
- Remove the ice-cream from the cupcake wrapper and place in the centre of the mochi round
- Pull the sides of the mochi over the ice-cream and pinch to seal
- Place the sealed mochi ice-cream in a new cupcake cake seam side down
- Repeat with remaining ice-cream and mochi, re-kneading and rolling the mochi dough if needed
- Freeze the completed mochi for a minimum of 1 hour to set before enjoying
- Remove from the freezer and allow them to sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before consuming
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