Butter Mochi

Butter Mochi - Genevieve Ko

Tender and chewy, this big-batch dessert — as comforting as cake and as fun as bar cookies — is always a hit at parties. Mochiko, sweet rice flour, not only gives it its distinctive marshmallow-like softness, but it also lends a natural sweetness. This version of butter mochi uses only coconut milk for its richness and subtle nutty taste, but you can substitute equivalent amounts of whole milk, evaporated milk or a combination of those liquids. Butter mochi develops a crackly top that stays crunchy the day it’s baked, making it a delicious dessert to eat without adornment. But, if you’d like more crunch, you can sprinkle dried shredded coconut evenly over the top before baking, or, for a tangy, colorful top, you can coat it with the passion fruit glaze below. (Watch the video of Genevieve Ko making butter mochi here.)

Yield: 1 (9-by-13-inch) cake

For the Mochi

6 tablespoons/84 grams unsalted butter, melted and cooled, plus more for greasing the pan

3 cups/453 grams mochiko (sweet rice flour), like Blue Star brand

2 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon fine sea salt

4 large eggs

2 cups/416 grams granulated sugar

2 (13.5-ounce) cans unsweetened coconut milk (scant 3½ cups)

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

For the Passion Fruit Glaze (optional)

1½ packed cups/219 grams confectioners’ sugar

2 to 4 tablespoons passion fruit pulp or purée (see Tip)

Pink or red food coloring (optional)

Make the mochi: Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly butter a 9-by-13-inch cake pan, then line the bottom and sides with parchment paper.

Whisk the mochiko, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Prepare the batter in a stand mixer or in a large bowl with an electric hand mixer or whisk: Whisk the eggs and sugar until pale yellow and thick. Continue whisking while pouring in the coconut milk, then the butter and vanilla. Continue whisking while gradually adding the mochiko mixture. Whisk until the batter is completely smooth. Pour into the prepared pan, then tap it against the counter to get rid of any air bubbles.

Bake until golden brown and crackly, 1 hour 15 minutes to 1½ hours. When you press the center, it should bounce back but not indent at all. Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. Use the parchment paper to slide the cooled mochi out of the pan.

The mochi is delicious plain, but you can add a glaze if you’d like: Mix the confectioners’ sugar with 2 tablespoons passion fruit pulp until smooth. It should be thick but drippy. If needed, add another 1 to 2 tablespoons pulp. If you’d like to create an ombré or sunset effect, scrape some into another bowl or multiple bowls and tint with food coloring. Spread the glaze evenly over the mochi, in stripes if you’d like, and let stand until set.

Cut the mochi into squares or bars. Serve immediately, or keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Tip: You can buy pure passion fruit purée from specialty markets and some grocery stores in the frozen fruit section. If you can’t find the fruit or purée, you can substitute passion fruit juice or nectar, but it will be much sweeter. To prepare passion fruit pulp from fresh fruit, halve 2 fruits and scrape the pulp into a small microwave-safe bowl or saucepan. Warm by microwaving for 15 seconds or heating on low until loose and runny. Press through a sieve to extract the pulp from the seeds.

Halved recipe, but with only 3/4 c sugar, added a tsp of coconut extract and un-toasted unsweetened shredded coconut on top and it is AMAZING!! Took 1 hr in an 8x8” metal pan. Covered it loosely with foil halfway thru to keep from getting too brown.

I have made this twice now- but the first time used Bob’s red mill “white rice flour” and the result was surprisingly similar to a vanilla poundcake baked with wheat flour. Just baked one this morning using “glutinous rice flour” from Thailand, and resulting cake is what I was first expecting- the bouncy gummy texture one finds in mochi items. Just as a mochi novice, wanted to share! P.s. I also halved this recipe with great results, same baking time, and subbed 1/2 whole milk with xtra butter

* Made the recipe exactly as written and it is SO incredible. A couple of nuances that really worked for me:

- Melt your butter first so it has time to cool

- Use room temperature eggs (I took mine out of the fridge and soaked them in warm water for a few minutes)

- Sift the dry ingredients

- When adding the dry ingredients to the wet, really do this gradually to avoid lumps

- Once poured into the pan, slam the pan on the counter several times to remove as much air as possible from the batter