How To Make Ube Butter Mochi At Home (It's Easier Than It Looks!)
When it comes to mochi (a Japanese treat in the form of rice cake), we're both delighted to eat it and intimidated to make it. But that shouldn't be the case! While mochi is both beautiful and delicious, making it isn't as difficult as it looks. And there are myriad variations of delicious mochi to enjoy. We love this recipe from Kat Lieu from her upcoming cookbook Modern Asian Baking At Home (which releases on June 28). The cookbook is full of delicious recipes inspired by the Subtle Asian Community and perfect for helping you learn to make mochi and other delicious Asian cuisine at home. We'll let Kat take it from here!
When Regina Ramirez (my neighbor and SAB member) posted a gorgeous picture of her ube butter mochi on SAB, I grabbed a kitchen towel to wipe away my drool. Regina’s butter mochi bites were spectacular: gloriously purple, shiny, and super crave-worthy. You could imagine how deliciously buttery and chewy they were! I was obsessed and had to make my own batch of beautiful ube butter mochi. This recipe is inspired by Regina and adapted from one found on keepingitrelle.com.
Note: Macapuno strings are fleshy shredded coconut typically used in Filipino desserts.They are usually preserved, bottled in syrup, and easily found in Asian supermarkets.
Ube Butter Mochi Recipe
Photo via Nicole Soper Photography
Ingredients:
- About ½ cup (160 g) homemade ube halaya jam, or store-bought
- 3 medium eggs (about 5 ounces, or 150 g)
- About 2 cups (470 g) milk or evaporated milk
- 1 14-ounce (400 g) can coconut milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ube extract
- ½ cup (1 stick, or 112 g) butter, melted
- 1 tablespoon (16 g) miso
- ¼ cup (68 g) macapuno, sweetened
- coconut strings (optional)
- 3⅓ cups (400 g) glutinous rice flour
- 1¼ cups (250 g) granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- Toasted coconut flakes for topping (optional)
Image via Quarto Publishing Group USA Inc.
Directions:
- Generously grease or line (including the sides) a 9 x 13-inch (23 x 33 cm) baking pan with parchment paper.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C, or gas mark 4) and place a rack in the center.
- In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the ube jam, eggs, milk, coconut milk, vanilla extract, ube extract, melted butter, miso, and optional coconut strings. Mix on low speed until well incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Sift in the glutinous rice flour, sugar, and baking powder. Mix on low speed until the batter is smooth and thoroughly combined. Again, scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to incorporate the ingredients. Cover and let rest for 20 minutes.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared pan. Tap the pan against your counter to release any air bubbles.
- Bake for about 60 to 70 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the butter mochi is set. Turn off the oven and leave the butter mochi inside for about 15 minutes, until a nice golden and crispy crust develops. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before cutting into twelve to sixteen even pieces.
- Top with the optional toasted coconut flakes and enjoy!
While most people may say butter mochi is best eaten the day they're made, I enjoy them a day or two after when they've aged and developed more of a chew. Store leftover butter mochi in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two days. Refrigerated butter mochi can be revived in a toaster or oven.
If you don’t have ube halaya jam handy, replace it with ½ to 1 tablespoon (8 to 15 g) of ube extract and add one more egg to the batter.
Recipe and accompanying text via Kathleen Lieu.
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