Butter Mochi is a well-liked Hawaiian dessert made with mochiko (glutinous rice flour), butter, and milk. This chewy, mochi-like deal with is infused with the tropical taste of coconut and resembles Japanese mochi in texture. Its easy, comforting style evokes a way of nostalgia for a lot of, particularly these aware of Japanese sweets.
What’s Butter Mochi?
Butter Mochi is a beloved deal with generally present in bakeries throughout Hawaii. With its square-shaped, bar cookie look, this baked candy is golden brown on the floor, typically with barely crispy, caramelized edges that add a pleasant fragrant crunch. Made with mochiko (glutinous rice flour), it has a satisfyingly chewy, mochi-like texture. The flavour is wealthy and buttery, with a refined coconut aroma from the coconut milk that provides it a tropical island contact.
Within the late 1800s, many Japanese immigrants arrived in Hawaii, bringing their conventional meals with them. Over time, these meals developed and tailored to island life. Mochi, a conventional Japanese rice cake, was one such meals. Some say Butter Mochi might have originated from mochi confections introduced by immigrants from Hiroshima.
On the similar time, Filipino immigrants additionally introduced their very own culinary traditions to the islands. It’s believed that Butter Mochi was born from the fusion of Japanese and Filipino influences—probably impressed by the Filipino rice cake bibingka, however made with Japanese mochiko flour, leading to a uniquely Hawaiian dessert.
As soon as an area favourite, Butter Mochi has grown into an iconic a part of Hawaii’s dessert tradition. As we speak, it’s not solely a staple throughout the islands however can be spreading in reputation to locations like Japan and the mainland U.S., successful hearts around the globe with its nostalgic taste and tropical allure.
Suggestions and substitutions for Butter Mochi
- Enhance the Coconut Taste: For further coconut goodness and a little bit of texture, strive sprinkling shredded coconut on prime of the batter earlier than baking. It provides a stunning crunch and enhances the tropical taste.
- Adjusting the Sweetness: The recipe might appear to be it calls for lots of sugar, however the remaining end result isn’t overwhelmingly candy. In the event you favor a much less candy model, you possibly can barely cut back the sugar—however keep away from chopping it an excessive amount of (akin to decreasing by half), as this could go away the mochi bland and flavorless.
- Coconut Milk Substitutions: Whereas complete milk can be utilized as an alternative of coconut milk, understand that it is going to change the flavour and aroma considerably. In the event you’re not a giant fan of coconut, you may think about using half coconut milk and half common milk to take care of a number of the authentic character whereas firming it down
- Be Cautious with Substitutions: Any time you substitute substances within the authentic recipe, it’s greatest to begin with small quantities. That method, you possibly can experiment with out compromising all the batch.
Extra recipes like Butter Mochi
Candy and chewy mochi dessert from Hawaii
- 1 lb mochiko
- 2 cup sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 Tbsp baking powder
- 1 can coconut milk (14 oz)
- 1 can evaporated milk (12 oz)
- 4 eggs
- 4 oz butter (melted)
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
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Preheat oven to 350°. Grease a 9×13 baking dish.
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Mix Mochiko, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a big bowl. In one other bowl, combine coconut milk, evaporated milk, eggs, melted butter, and vanilla collectively. Pour the liquid combination to the dry substances, and blend nicely.
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Pour the batter into the baking dish, and bake about 60 minutes.
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Cool fully, minimize into squares, and serve.