KELLY SAYS: “I fell in love with mochi on our frequent trips to Hawaii to visit my in-laws.
Mochi is a traditional Japanese food, made from glutinous rice, although it is naturally gluten free. It can be sweet or savory. It's got a yummy chewy texture, unlike anything I have ever tasted.
It is a great dessert for those who have problems with gluten.
We spent Easter with our neighbors. Their daughter cannot eat sugar or gluten, so I wanted to make something that she could enjoy, since she couldn't eat any Easter candy.
I adapted a recipe I had for cocoa mochi, and used agave syrup instead of sugar. It was delish.”
COOKIE RECIPE HELP / GLUTEN-FREE RECIPE HELP
INGREDIENTS
2 cups glutinous rice flour (also called mochiko, or sweet rice flour)
1 3/4 cups sugar or 1 cup agave syrup
4 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tablespoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 12 oz. can evaporated milk
1 12 oz. can unsweetened coconut milk
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Position an oven shelf to the middle of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking pan; set aside.
2. Sift together Mochiko, sugar, cocoa, salt and baking soda into a large bowl.
*NOTE: If using agave syrup instead of sugar, add it in with the ingredients in step 3.
3. In another bowl, whisk together the eggs, evaporated milk, coconut milk, melted butter, and *agave syrup(if using).
4. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients, then add the liquid ingredients. Mix with whisk until the batter is smooth, and completely mixed.
5. Pour batter into the prepared baking pan.
6. Bake for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean, with no wet batter attached.
7. Cool completely in the pan, on a wire cake rack.
SERVE
1. When mochi is cool, unmold it and cut it into squares or diamond shapes.
2. Sprinkle with powdered sugar, just before serving, if desired. This is not traditional, but it looks pretty.
STORAGE
Baked mochi lasts for 2-3 days at room temperature, loosely covered with plastic wrap.
