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    Home » Recipes » Dessert

    Published: Nov 9, 2020 · Modified: Oct 27, 2022 by Ashley · This post may contain affiliate links. · 37 Comments

    Custard Mochi (Daifuku)

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    Pinterest pin for mochi.
    Pinterest pin for mochi.

    Custard Mochi (Daifuku) is a sweet and chewy Japanese dessert! Made with homemade custard wrapped in glutinous rice cake, it is a treat you won't be able to resist. While it's traditionally eaten around the Japanese New Year, the sweet treat can be enjoyed at any time of the year with many different fillings.

    Custard Mochi on a marble surface. this recipe

    I was first introduced to this sweet, chewy Japanese treat when I went on my trip to Japan. I had tried ice cream mochi before, but I prefer fresh mochi so much more!

    There's honestly nothing better than fresh mochi filled with red bean paste or, in this case, custard. Unfortunately, the latter is much harder to find where I live. That's when I decided it was about time I learn how to make it on my own!

    Jump to:
    • 🍴 What is mochi?
    • 🥘 Ingredients
    • 🔪 Instructions
    • 💭 FAQs
    • ⛩️ More Japanese-Inspired recipes
    • 📋 Recipe
    • ⭐ Reviews
    Custard Mochi on a cookie sheet.

    🍴 What is mochi?

    Mochi is a sweet and sticky Japanese confection made with glutinous rice cake that's stuffed with a sweet filling. It's absolutely irresistible.

    Traditionally, in Japan, the glutinous rice is steamed and pounded until it's smooth and elastic before it's shaped into mochi. Today, we'll be making things easy on ourselves and removing those steps (it's not really as authentic when you aren't in Japan anyway, right?)

    Mochi may look super intimidating to make, that's how I felt at first, but it's a lot easier than you would think. Literally. The rice cake part of the mochi can be made in the microwave in four minutes. See? SO easy!

    🥘 Ingredients

    • Milk
    • All-purpose flour
    • Egg yolks
    • Granulated sugar
    • Vanilla extract
    • Salt
    • Mochiko sweet rice flour
    • Yellow food coloring
    • Potato or corn starch

    🔪 Instructions

    Process photos of custard mochi.


    1. Add the milk to a small saucepan and heat over medium heat to boiling.
    2. Slowly whisk in the flour, eggs, and sugar. Heat on low heat until bubbling and thick.
    3. Pour the custard through a sieve to remove any clumps. Let custard cool in the fridge for 1 hour.

    Dollops of custard mochi on a cookie sheet.

    4. Scoop custard into frosting bag and pipe onto a cookie sheet into 8 dollops.
    5. Freeze for one hour.

    Process photos of custard mochi.


    6. Whisk together the mochi ingredients in a microwave-safe bowl. Cover the bowl loosely with plastic wrap.
    7. Microwave for 1 minute. Remove plastic then stir. It will not be smooth after stirring it.
    8. Replace the plastic wrap and continue microwaving in one-minute intervals until mochi is no longer white. It will have more of a translucent quality and will feel gummy. This usually takes 3-4 minutes. Allow to cool slightly, enough to handle with your hands.
    9. Place the mochi on a cutting board generously coated in potato starch. Sprinkle potato starch on top of the mochi. Shape the mochi into a half-inch thick disk.

    Process photos of custard mochi.

    10. Divide the mochi into eight pieces. Coat your hands with potato starch and roll each piece into a ball, and then flatten into a disk. Place a dollop of custard in the middle. Use your fingers to pinch the mochi closed around the custard filling.

    Custard Mochi on a wood surface.

    💭 FAQs

    What does mochi taste like?

    Before you add any flavorings, mochi just tastes like rice (after all, it's made from rice flour.) But mochi has a very unique sticky, stretchy, soft, and chewy texture.

    Mochi has a subtle taste on its own, which makes it a very versatile food that can be made with a variety of flavorings.

    What is mochi filled with?

    There are a variety of fillings you can put in mochi, including red bean paste (anko), white bean paste (shiroan), ice cream, custard, strawberries, and even cookie dough. Get creative with it. The options are truly endless! 

    Can you make mochi with regular rice flour?

    Rice flour is made from medium or long-grain rice, but sweet rice flour (mochiko) is made from glutinous short-grain rice.

    It may be tempting to want to substitute regular rice flour, but the recipe will not yield the same results if you do not use sweet rice flour. Rice flour has a very different texture and flavor, and it will not hold together the same way.

    What's the difference between mochi and daifuku?

    Mochi is a rice cake made with glutinous rice. Mochi is not naturally sweet and has a very neutral flavor. Daifuku is literally filled mochi.

    ⛩️ More Japanese-Inspired recipes

    • Fluffy Japanese Pancakes
    • Japanese Milk Bread
    • Steamed Japanese Pork Buns (Nikuman)
    • Pork Tonkatsu
    • Easy Homemade Ramen

    If you make this recipe, let me know what you think! I’d love it if you could add a star rating ★ and a comment below. Be sure to follow me on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook, too!

    Print

    📋 Recipe

    Mochi with Custard Filling

    Custard Mochi on a marble surface.
    Print Recipe
    Pin Recipe

    4.9 from 45 reviews

    Custard Mochi (Daifuku) is a sweet and chewy Japanese dessert! Made with custard wrapped in glutinous rice cake, it is a treat you won't be able to resist. While it's traditionally eaten around the Japanese New Year, the sweet treat can be enjoyed at any time of the year!

    • Author: Ashley
    • Prep Time: 30 minutes
    • Freezing Time: 1 hours
    • Cook Time: 15 minutes
    • Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
    • Yield: 8 1x
    • Category: Dessert
    • Cuisine: Japanese

    Ingredients

    Units Scale

    Custard

    • 1 cup milk
    • 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
    • 4 egg yolks
    • 3 Tablespoons granulated sugar
    • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
    • dash of salt

    Mochi

    • 1 cup Mochiko sweet rice flour
    • ¼ cup granulated sugar
    • dash of salt
    • ¾ cup water
    • yellow food coloring
    • potato starch or cornstarch

    Instructions

    Custard

    1. Add milk Add the milk to a small saucepan and heat over medium heat to boiling.
    2. Add rest of ingredientsSlowly whisk in the flour, eggs, and sugar.
    3. Heat until bubblingHeat on low heat until bubbling and thick, about 5-10 minutes.
    4. Pour custardPour the custard through a mesh sieve to remove any clumps. Let the custard cool.
    5. Pipe and freezeScoop custard into a frosting bag and pipe onto a cookie sheet into 8 dollops. Freeze for one hour.

    Mochi

    1. Add ingredients to bowlAdd sweet rice flour, sugar, salt, water, and a few drops of food coloring to a microwave-safe bowl. Cover the bowl loosely with plastic wrap.
    2. MicrowaveMicrowave for 1 minute, remove plastic, then stir. It will not be smooth after stirring it. 
    3. Continue microwavingReplace the plastic wrap and continue microwaving for 1-minute intervals until mochi has a translucent quality and feels gummy. This usually takes 3-4 minutes. Allow to cool slightly, enough to handle with your hands.
    4. Shape mochiPlace the mochi on a cutting board generously coated in potato starch. Sprinkle potato starch on top of the mochi. Shape the mochi into a half-inch thick disk.
    5. Divide into piecesUsing a knife or bench cutter, divide the mochi into eight pieces.
    6. Roll and flattenCoat your hands with potato starch and roll each piece into a ball, and then flatten it into a disk.
    7. Fill with custardPlace a ball of frozen custard in the center. Use your fingers to pinch the Mochi closed around the custard.

    Notes

    • I highly recommend eating the mochi while it's fresh, but it can be stored in the refrigerator for two days or in the freezer for two weeks.
    • If the mochi tends to get dry while you're working with it, you can place it in the microwave for a couple of seconds until it's easier to work with.
    • This recipe can easily be made with a variety of different fillings. Some popular mochi fillings include red bean paste (anko), white bean paste (shiroan), ice cream, custard, strawberries, and even cookie dough!

    Nutrition

    • Serving Size: 1 grams
    • Calories: 180
    • Sugar: 13
    • Sodium: 61
    • Fat: 3
    • Saturated Fat: 1
    • Unsaturated Fat: 2
    • Trans Fat: 0
    • Carbohydrates: 33
    • Fiber: 1
    • Protein: 5
    • Cholesterol: 95

    Keywords: custard,filling,mochi,rice cake,

    Did you make this recipe?

    Tag @wanderestblog on Instagram. I'd love to see what you made!

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      Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

    1. Jenny says

      September 05, 2022 at 3:16 am

      Our family is always on the look out for new dessert recipes. It’s my husband’s influence (grin). This Mochi stands out. We love it!

      Reply
    2. Hayley Dhanecha says

      September 05, 2022 at 2:39 am

      I have always enjoyed shop bought Mochi, never thought homemade are so easy to make too. Will try soon 🙂

      Reply
    3. Laura says

      September 04, 2022 at 2:24 pm

      Yummy! Made this recipe with my toddler and it was fun! Plus the result was so delicious, thank you!

      Reply
    4. Marie Asselin says

      September 04, 2022 at 12:18 pm

      I've been in love with mochi ever since I tasted them in Japan! I bought a box of Mochiko flour a while back but I felt intimidated to make them from scratch. Your recipe and tips made the process seamless! I can't wait to make them again with different fillings.

      Reply
    5. Ann says

      September 04, 2022 at 8:17 am

      I have never heard of this dessert before, but it sounds delicious! Also seems pretty easy to make! Excited to give it a try!

      Reply
    6. Amy Liu Dong says

      September 02, 2022 at 11:22 pm

      I have never tasted this dessert. It looks so delicious, and I am so excited to make this for everyone!

      Reply
    7. Tracy says

      September 02, 2022 at 1:18 am

      Oh my gosh this is one of my favorite desserts! I can't believe that we can make it at home now, thank you so much!!

      Reply
    8. Kristina says

      September 01, 2022 at 7:55 pm

      This was delicious filled with cookie dough ice cream. It was surprisingly easy to make and I am glad I gave it a try. Would recommend!

      Reply
      • Ashley says

        September 01, 2022 at 8:46 pm

        Ooh that sounds amazing with cookie dough ice cream!

        Reply
    9. Amanda Mason says

      September 01, 2022 at 2:14 pm

      This was super easy to make and the taste was so authentic! A very different dessert (which is what I was looking for), we loved this recipe!

      Reply
      • Ashley says

        September 01, 2022 at 8:46 pm

        I'm so glad you liked it! It's always fun to try something different!

        Reply
    10. Amanda says

      August 31, 2022 at 5:27 pm

      I love mochi but had never made them before. They turned out so good! You really explained the process well too, so it was super simple.

      Reply
      • Ashley says

        September 01, 2022 at 8:45 pm

        It's surprising how easy it is to make! I'm so glad you liked it!

        Reply
    11. veenaazmanov says

      August 31, 2022 at 9:29 am

      New recipes are always a welcome. This sounds easy and delicious too. Love the custard filling in the center. yum..

      Reply
      • Ashley says

        September 01, 2022 at 8:45 pm

        It really is so yummy!

        Reply
    12. Kate says

      November 20, 2020 at 2:39 pm

      What a great dessert!! I am glad I stepped out of my boundaries and tried something new.






      Reply
    13. Debra says

      November 16, 2020 at 8:05 am

      What a decadent treat! I was surprised how easy these were to make....and super tasty too.






      Reply
      • Ashley says

        November 16, 2020 at 2:52 pm

        I'm so glad you liked them! 🙂

        Reply
    14. Connie says

      November 15, 2020 at 11:24 pm

      Yes! Love mochis. I would sometimes buy them at Trader Joes but I love making things from scratch. Glad to have bumped into this recipe. I can't wait to make this from home!






      Reply
      • Ashley says

        November 16, 2020 at 2:53 pm

        I love Trader Joe's mochi, but homemade is so good! And it's surprisingly easy to make!

        Reply
    15. Laura Arteaga says

      November 15, 2020 at 11:00 pm

      I've tried Mochi many times but never even though of making them myself! This recipe explains every step and it looks quite easy so we will definitely be trying it soon! Thank you so much 🙂






      Reply
      • Ashley says

        November 16, 2020 at 2:53 pm

        You'll have to let me know how it turns out for you! 🙂

        Reply
    16. Chandice Probst says

      November 15, 2020 at 9:26 pm

      Oh my goodness we love traditional mochi with ice cream but this is even better! I love custard so this is perfect thank you!






      Reply
      • Ashley says

        November 16, 2020 at 2:53 pm

        I love mochi with ice cream too! The custard filling is so yummy!

        Reply
    17. Amanda says

      November 15, 2020 at 6:28 pm

      This was my first time making mochi, and it came out so good! That custard is so decadent, and I was surprised how simple it was. It was a fun process -- definitely worth trying!






      Reply
      • Ashley says

        November 16, 2020 at 2:53 pm

        I'm so glad it turned out good for you! Isn't it amazing how easy it is to make?!

        Reply
    18. Marisa F. Stewart says

      November 15, 2020 at 2:01 pm

      We love trying new foods and cuisines and Hubby was stationed in Japan and introduced me to quite a few dishes. He never did make any desserts so this custard would be such a nice addition for our Japanese dinner night. I really like that it doesn't seem overly sweet. After a nice meal we like something light.






      Reply
      • Ashley says

        November 16, 2020 at 2:54 pm

        I love that mochi isn't super sweet. It has just the right amount of sweetness for enjoying after dinner!

        Reply
    19. Ramona says

      November 15, 2020 at 1:09 pm

      WOW, this custard mochi looks amazing! my daughter has been convincing me to make this with her and I can't wait to show her this recipe. Thank you for sharing.






      Reply
      • Ashley says

        November 16, 2020 at 2:54 pm

        It's so good and easy to make! She'll love this recipe!

        Reply
    20. Kushigalu says

      November 14, 2020 at 2:24 am

      This Japanese dessert is something new to me. Sounds amazingly delicious. I would love to try this for holiday.






      Reply
      • Ashley says

        November 16, 2020 at 2:55 pm

        You'll have to give it a try! It's really good!

        Reply
    21. Paula Montenegro says

      November 12, 2020 at 11:57 am

      OMG I've been wanting to make mochi for a long time and this is the recipe to try! I love the step by step photos, very clear and great for making it from scratch. Thanks for sharing! This is going straight to my Make Now! board.






      Reply
      • Ashley says

        November 16, 2020 at 2:55 pm

        Thank you! I'm glad you like the photos. You'll have to let me know what you think when you make it! 🙂

        Reply
    22. veenaazmanov says

      November 11, 2020 at 8:29 pm

      Very interesting Japanese dish. Soft and gooey from the inside. Delicious dessert for the family. Presentation perfect.






      Reply
      • Ashley says

        November 16, 2020 at 2:55 pm

        It's a wonderful dish with the best texture! Thank you!

        Reply
    23. FOODHEAL says

      November 10, 2020 at 11:08 pm

      I love discovering new foods and this is one of them. It looks sweet and soft to melt in the mouth.






      Reply

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    Ashley

    Hi, I'm Ashley! I created Wanderzest as a place to share recipes inspired by different cultures. I hope you enjoy experiencing the world through food with me!

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