You can definitely find it in any Asian store (along with the sesame seeds), and if you’re lucky, at some of your larger local markets. The most important item in the pic is the Mochiko Sweet Rice Flour by Koda Farms. If that wasn’t enough, they are GLUTEN-FREE. A touch of sweetness, crispy on the outside, dense and chewy on the inside, and crunchy from the generous sprinkle of sesame seeds on top.

Not quite as gooey as manju and definitely not cakey like a muffin, it’s a delicious hybrid of the two. If you haven’t had mochi, this is a good introduction.

If you have ever had Manju from Shuei-Do Sweet Shop in Japantown in San Jose, or Butter Mochi from Hawaii and liked it…you’re going to love these. Since I don’t foresee any of us pounding mochi, lets make muffins and Hawaiian Mochi. Mochi muffins and Hawaiian Butter Mochi start with sweet rice flour, mixed with liquids, and baked. Traditional mochi starts with steamed rice and is pounded and shaped into sweet or savory rice cakes. Just for your viewing pleasure here is Mitsuo Nakatani, Japanese Mochi Master.Enjoy. During New Year’s, Japanese families gather to pound mochi in a tradition called Mochitsuki. It can be flavored, baked, steamed, fried and made into countless delicious treats both sweet and savory. It ends up looking like the BLOB, really.

Sweet rice is PULVERIZED into flour to which water and flavorings are added. My Sweet Rice, Oh My Riceįor the uninitiated, mochi (sweet rice flour) is a cornerstone of Asian treats. Though I haven’t made it to Berkeley to try one, I found a couple of recipes online that sounded scrumptious, so it was off to the rices! Update: I just posted a new mochi muffin recipe, Mango Mochi Muffins made with mango tea and freeze-dried mangos! It’s small-batch baking, only 8 regular size delicious muffins. The baker is an alum of Cal (Go Bears) who chose food over toxicology (good choice) and thus Mochi Muffins made with sweet rice flour were put on the map. Allow squash to cool, then scoop flesh out from skin, and purée the flesh in a food processor.Always searching for new and different treats, I came across an article that spotlighted Third Culture Bakery in Berkeley. Place in oven and roast squash for 45 minutes until tender. Lay the halves, cut side down on a baking sheet. Rub all surfaces with olive oil or butter. Scoop out and discard seeds from cavity of squash. Cut off stem of squash, then cut in half lengthwise. Notes (To prepare butternut squash puree): Bake for 20 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the middle of a cupcake comes out clean.Top with more red bean or butternut squash puree, this step is optional, it did this to differentiate the two different cupcakes. Cover with more mochi mixture (make sure to only fill it to about 3/4 full, or it may overflow). Spoon 1 tsp of red bean or butternut squash puree on the middle of the mochi mixture. Fill about 1/3 of the prepared muffin cases with mochi mixture.Fold in the sifted dry ingredients in two batches.Fold in the melted butter into the egg/sugar mixture, followed by the evaporated milk.Whisk eggs and sugar until light and fluffy.Sift together glutinous rice flour, matcha powder and baking powder.Line a 6 or 12 hole muffin pan with muffin cases, and set aside.