Make Your Own Daifuku Mochi

By Setsuko Yoshizuka

Updated 10/26/18

Daifuku
Masatsu/Flickr
  • Total: 2 hrs 30 mins
  • Prep: 2 hrs
  • Cook: 30 mins
  • Yield: 12 servings

Daifuku or Daifuku Mochi, is a type of wagashi, or Japanese sweet. It's a popular Japanese snack usually served with green tea. Daifuku is most commonly filled with red bean paste, but some are filled with white bean paste (Shiroan). There are also mochi which is colored and flavored with kinako (soy bean flour), yomogi (Japanese mugwort), matcha green tea powder or a touch of red food coloring.

It takes quite a bit of time to make mochi from scratch. You can also make mochi with shiratamako or mochiko (glutinous rice/sweet rice flour). The flour is mixed with water and steamed either on the stovetop or in the microwave. With this quick method, sticky tasty mochi is ready in no time.

Ingredients

  • For the Filling
  • 2/3 cup water 
  • 1/2 cup sugar 
  • 1/4 cup dried anko powder (or 1 1/4 cup pre-made anko, divided)
  • Katakuriko (potato starch or corn starch, for dusting)
  • For the Mochi
  • 1 cup shiratama-ko (glutinous rice flour)
  • 2/3 cup water
  • 1/4 cup sugar

Steps to Make It

Note: while there are multiple steps to this recipe, this mochi is broken down into workable categories to help you better plan for preparation and cooking.

Make the Filling

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Heat 2/3 cup of water and 1/2 cup of sugar in a small pot.

  3. Add 1/4 cup of anko powder and stir well.

  4. Cool the anko filling.

  5. Make 12 small anko balls and set aside.

Make the Mochi

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Put shiratama-ko in a heat-resistant bowl.

  3. Mix water and sugar in a separate small small bowl.

  4. Gradually pour the water-sugar mixture into shiratama-ko, stirring well.

  5. Put the bowl in microwave and heat the dough for about 2 minutes.

  6. Stir the dough.

  7. Heat the dough in the microwave again, until the dough inflates.

  8. Stir the mochi quickly.

  9. Dust a flat pan, as well as your hands, with some katakuri-ko starch. 

  10. Remove the hot mochi from the bowl to the pan by hand. The mochi will be hot and sticky, so please be careful not to burn your hands.

  11. Dust hands with more katakuri-ko starch and divide the mochi into 12 pieces by hands.

  12. Make 12 flat and round mochi pieces.

  13. Put a piece of the anko filling in the center of the mochi and wrap the anko by stretching mochi.

  14. Round the daifuku.

  15. Repeat the process to make more pieces.

  16. Serve and enjoy!