By now, I imagine most of you have tried daifuku mochi (大福餅), a dessert made from rice flour filled with various flavors. With the help of Takashi Ochiai himself, the mastermind behind Pastelería Ochiai, the only bakery in Spain specializing in Japanese sweets, we’ll learn how to make this dessert at home. Let’s get started!
The traditional way to prepare mochi uses large wooden mortars into which cooked glutinous rice is poured and then pounded manually with a huge wooden mallet.
Between each blow, someone must stand near the mortar, dedicated solely to stirring the rice with well-moistened hands, with enough skill and speed to avoid being hit.
It’s quite a ceremony, and also very tedious. Those who have attended the New Year’s Mochi Festival in Madrid or the Mochitsuki Taikai in Barcelona will have seen it live and probably eaten mochi until they were almost bursting.
However, like almost everything the Japanese make, this dessert has undergone a process of refinement, transforming it into another example of the mastery of Japanese confectionery and pastry, still little known in the West.
In a recent Japanese pastry course taught by the renowned master Takashi Ochiai, we learned how to make daifuku mochi at home, this time filled with anko (red bean paste) and strawberry.
The best part is that it keeps for several days, and the ingredients can be easily found in Asian supermarkets or health food stores.
Table of Contents
How to Make Mochi at Home? Step by Step
Ingredients for 6–10 mochis
For the mochi:
- 100 g glutinous rice flour
- 50 g sugar
- 250 ml water
- Katakuriko or cornstarch (for sprinkling)
For the anko:
- 150 g azuki beans
- 75 g sugar
Preparation:
Preparation time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Preparing The Mochi:
- Mix the water and sugar in a container.
- Add the glutinous rice flour and mix until there are no lumps.
- Line a bamboo steamer bowl with a damp cloth, pour the dough inside, and cover.
- Place the bowl over a saucepan of boiling water and steam for 30–45 minutes, until the dough is matte, firm, and pasty.
Video Guide 👇
Alternative method:
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and microwave for 2 minutes.
- Remove, stir while hot, and repeat until the dough is fully cooked and pasty.
- Let the dough cool until lukewarm (about 30 minutes).
- Sprinkle cornstarch on the countertop or inside a baking tray.
- Pour the dough onto the surface and coat it well so it doesn’t stick to your hands.
Preparation of Sweet Anko:
- Soak the azuki beans for 12 hours.
- Boil for 25–30 minutes.
- Grind in a mortar or blend until you get a smooth paste.
- Cover with water, let sit for 5 minutes, then drain.
- Place the paste in a saucepan with sugar, cook over low heat, and stir for 2–3 minutes.
- Let it cool completely.
Once cooled, divide the paste into small meatball-sized portions.
Flatten each one, place a strawberry in the center, and gently wrap it in the palm of your hand.
This same technique is used to fill the mochi.
Making Daifuku Mochi:
- Place the rice dough on cornstarch and coat it well.
- Roll slightly and cut into meatball-sized portions.
- Flatten each piece in your palm to form a disc.
- Place the strawberry wrapped in anko in the center.
- Using small circular motions, gently close the dough around the filling.
- Pinch any cracks to seal and create a smooth surface.
Daifuku mochi is a traditional Japanese sweet made from pressed glutinous rice dough, filled with ingredients such as anko, ice cream (often green tea or cherry), whipped cream (known as yukimi daifuku), strawberries, chocolate, or even coated in sesame seeds.
Sometimes the dough itself is colored and flavored with strawberry, cherry, or green tea.
This dessert is commonly eaten during New Year celebrations and is also known for occasionally causing choking accidents due to its extremely sticky texture—there’s even a joke that it’s what you give to nagging mothers-in-law.
