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You are here: Home / Dessert / Daifuku (Mochi and Anko Filling Recipes)

June 16, 2020

Daifuku (Mochi and Anko Filling Recipes)

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Daifuku!! This popular Japanese recipe makes a soft, tender, and chewy mochi rice cake enclosing a creamy, sweet anko red bean paste filling. Pure dessert bliss! With some simple tips, you can make this delicious snack in your own home and customize with your favorite fillings. 

Daifuku!! This popular Japanese recipe makes a soft, tender, and chewy mochi rice cake enclosing a creamy, sweet red bean paste filling. Pure dessert bliss! With some simple tips, you can make this delicious snack in your own home and customize with your favorite fillings. #daifuku #DaifukuMochi

These daifuku taste just like the best ones I had in Japan. They have the perfect combination of flavors and textures. For those unfamiliar, Daifuku or Daifuku Mochi consists mochi (a Japanese rice cake made with glutinous rice flour) on the outside, and sweet red bean paste on the inside. It’s a type of wagashi (Japanese sweets), a popular delightful and cute Japanese treat.

The mochi is perfectly soft and chewy, with a nice rice flavor. The red bean paste (anko) is creamy and deliciously sweetened. Traditionally daifuku is served with green tea.

Don’t be deterred by the number of steps in this recipe. It’s actually quite easy to prepare with only 4 ingredients (plus water), and they’re so delicious and absolutely worth the effort to learn!

Ingredients for Making Mochi

Daifuku ingredients on the counter.
  • Mochiko or Shiratamako (sweet glutinous rice flour)
  • Water
  • Granulated sugar
  • Cornstarch

Pro Tip: The key to the best daifuku is using Mochiko or Shiratamako (sweet rice flour), which is different than regular glutinous rice flour. You can find them in most Japanese grocery stores, or order them online from Amazon. 

Ingredients for Making Red Bean Paste

  • Azuki beans (red beans)
  • Water
  • Granulated sugar
Daifuku!! This popular Japanese recipe makes a soft, tender, and chewy mochi rice cake enclosing a creamy, sweet red bean paste filling. Pure dessert bliss! With some simple tips, you can make this delicious snack in your own home and customize with your favorite fillings. #daifuku #DaifukuMochi

Table of Contents

  • How to Make Red Bean Paste Filling
  • How to Make Mochi Wrapper (the Easiest Method)
  • How to Make Daifuku
  • How Long Do They Keep?
  • What Does Daifuku Taste Like?
  • Special Equipment Needed
  • Possible Variations:
  • Daifuku (Mochi and Anko Filling Recipes) + VIDEO

How to Make Red Bean Paste Filling

You’ll need to prepare the Anko red bean paste ahead of the time and ideally get it chilled in the refrigerator before making the mochi. 

  • Add rinsed azuki red beans and water to a saucepan over medium-high heat. 
  • Boil for 5 minutes, and then discard the water, leaving the red beans in the pan.
  • Add more water and bring to boil again, and cover with a lid. Turn down the heat to medium-low, and let it simmer for 1 to 1.5 hours until you can easily mash the beans with your fingers.
  • Drain the azuki beans and put them back into the pot.
  • Turn the heat to medium-low, and add sugar. Stirring constantly until it reaches your desired consistency. 
  • Transfer it to a flat baking dish to let it cool completely. 
Steps to making ankle red bean paste filling.

Pro Tip: The instruction above will make chunky anko red bean paste, which I like to use in my daifuku. If you prefer a smooth texture, you can puree the beans in a food processor before adding the sugar. If you’d like to save time, you can also buy premade red bean paste from a local Asian supermarket or online from Amazon.

How to Make Mochi Wrapper (the Easiest Method)

Traditionally mochi is made of short-grain glutinous rice and it’s quite labor intensive. I don’t have time to cook and pound the rice so this version is super easy, ready in a few minutes, and has all the delicious qualities you want in classic mochi.

  • Place a large sheet of parchment paper on the working surface, and dust it generously with cornstarch. Set it aside.
  • Whisk together mochiko and sugar in a microwave-safe bowl. Add water and mix well.
  • Cover the bowl with plastic wrap loosely. Microwave on high for 2 minutes. Take it out and mix with a wet spatula.
  • Cover and microwave for 30 more seconds until the dough has changed from white to slightly translucent.
  • Transfer the mochi dough onto the parchment paper. Sprinkle more cornstarch onto the dough.
  • Roll out your dough into a thin piece (about 1/8-inch thickness). 
  • Cut the dough into circles. (Don’t waste the leftover dough. Squeeze the leftover pieces and knead them into a ball, repeat the process and make a few extra wrappers.)
Steps to making mochi wrappers using microwave method.

Pro Tip: The dough is very sticky, so you’ll need to add cornstarch frequently during the rolling process.

How to Make Daifuku

The trickiest part of this recipe is to wrap the red bean paste in the mochi wrapper. It may take a few tries to get it into a perfect round shape, but after a few, you’ll get a hang of it:

  • Scoop out red bean paste on top of a mochi wrapper.
  • Pinch the four corners of the mochi wrapper, and then pinch the remaining corners together.
Steps to wrapping ankle filling in mochi wrappers.

How Long Do They Keep?

Store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator and they can last for 2 days. These daifuku mochi taste the best on the day they’re made. 

What Does Daifuku Taste Like?

The mochi layer is sticky, soft, and sweet with a pleasantly chewy texture, something like a marshmallow. Homemade anko red bean paste is sweet and creamy. The combination of the two is heavenly delicious! 

Daifuku!! This popular Japanese recipe makes a soft, tender, and chewy mochi rice cake enclosing a creamy, sweet red bean paste filling. Pure dessert bliss! With some simple tips, you can make this delicious snack in your own home and customize with your favorite fillings. #daifuku #DaifukuMochi

Special Equipment Needed

  • A rolling pin
  • Cookie dough scoop which is smaller than a regular ice cream scoop
  • 3.5-inch cookie cutter or a similar size round bowl

Possible Variations:

The most popular daifuku is filled with red bean paste, but it is very versatile with endless possibilities for both the mochi wrapper and fillings:

  • Add matcha green tea powder to the mochi mixture for a matcha flavor with a green colored dough.
  • Add strawberry powder to the mochi mixture for a strawberry flavor with a pink color look.
  • Take a major shortcut if time doesn’t allow and use store-bought red bean paste and just use the mochi recipe here. 
  • You can also use white bean paste (Shiroan).
  • Place a strawberry inside of the red bean paste for a Strawberry Daifuku.
  • Use ice cream as the filling for Mochi Ice Cream.
Strawberry daifuku on a white plate.

These daifuku mochi balls are not as perfectly shaped as the store-bought ones, but they taste equally delicious. 

More Delicious Dessert You’ll Love

  • May I impress you with this refreshing homemade Japanese Mango Mochi? Tangy and sweet mango filling is covered with soft and chewy mochi cake. It’s rolled into mango mochi balls with a delicious shredded coconut coating, perfect for a hot summer day! This recipe is quick to make, and can be easily customized for vegan or dairy-free preferences. #MangoMochi
    Mango Mochi
  • Homemade Green Tea Mochi is soft, chewy, and sweet with delicious matcha flavor and a beautiful green color. This classic Japanese treat is really easy to make at home and better than that from your favorite restaurant! Plus you can customize the filling with red bean paste, strawberry, or ice cream. #GreenTeaMochi #MatchaMochi
    Green Tea Mochi
  • The only thing better than a sugary and rich dessert is a fancy gourmet treat that’s beautiful and easy to make from scratch. Find over 22 fancy desserts below to satisfy your sweet tooth! Whether you’re craving for a classic French dessert for two, or a showstopper chocolate dessert for a crowd, we’ve got you covered. #FancyDesserts #FancyDessertRecipes
    Opera Cake
  • The only thing better than a sugary and rich dessert is a fancy gourmet treat that’s beautiful and easy to make from scratch. Find over 22 fancy desserts below to satisfy your sweet tooth! Whether you’re craving for a classic French dessert for two, or a showstopper chocolate dessert for a crowd, we’ve got you covered. #FancyDesserts #FancyDessertRecipes
    Sous Vide Creme Brûlée
Daifuku!! This popular Japanese recipe makes a soft, tender, and chewy mochi rice cake enclosing a creamy, sweet red bean paste filling. Pure dessert bliss! With some simple tips, you can make this delicious snack in your own home and customize with your favorite fillings.

Daifuku (Mochi and Anko Filling Recipes) + VIDEO

Daifuku!! This popular Japanese recipe makes a soft, tender, and chewy mochi rice cake enclosing a creamy, sweet red bean paste filling. Pure dessert bliss! With some simple tips, you can make this delicious snack in your own home and customize with your favorite fillings.
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 12 Daifuku Mochi Balls
Calories: 135kcal

Ingredients 

Mochi Wrappers

  • 3/4 cup Mochiko sweet rice flour, or Shiratamako (100g)
  • 1/4 cup sugar 50g
  • 3/4 cup water 180ml
  • 1/2 cup cornstarch for dusting

Anko Sweet Red Bean Paste

  • 3/4 cup Azuki red beans
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • water

Instructions 

For the Anko Red Bean Paste Filling

  • Add rinsed azuki red beans and 3 cups water to a sauce pan over medium high heat.
  • Boil for 5 minutes, and then discard the water, leaving the red beans in the pan.
  • Add 3 cups more water. Bring the water to boil again, and cover with lid. Turn down the heat to medium-low, and let it simmer for 1 to 1.5 hours.
  • Check frequently to make sure the beans are submerged in water. Add more water if needed. Cook until you can easily mash the beans with your fingers.
  • Drain the azuki beans and put them back into the pot.
  • Turn the heat to medium-low, and add half of the sugar. Mix well.
  • Once the sugar has dissolved, add the rest of the sugar. Stirring constantly and let the moisture evaporate. Cook until it reaches your desired consistency. Note that the paste will continue to thicken as it cools.
  • Transfer it to a flat baking dish to let it cool completely.

For the Mochi Wrapper

  • Place a large sheet of parchment paper on the working surface, and dust it generously with cornstarch. Set it aside.
  • In a large microwave-safe bowl, whisk together mochiko and sugar. Add water and whisk until smooth and mochiko is completely dissolved.
  • Cover the bowl with plastic wrap loosely. Microwave on high for 2 minutes. Take it out and mix with a wet spatula. Place the plastic wrap back and microwave for 30 more seconds until the dough has changed from white to slightly translucent.
  • Transfer the mochi dough onto the parchment paper. Sprinkle more cornstarch onto the dough. Roll out your dough into a thin piece (about 1/8-inch thickness).
  • Cut the dough into circles using a 3.5-inch cookie cutters. (Don't waste the leftover dough. Squeeze the leftover pieces and knead them into a ball, repeat the process and make a few extra wrappers.)

Assemble Daifuku

  • To wrap the red bean paste in the mochi, scoop out red bean paste on top of a mochi wrapper.
  • Pinch the four corners of the mochi wrapper, and then pinch the remaining corners together.
  • Add cornstarch to the sealed area to prevent it from sticking. Set aside and continue to make the rest of daifuku.
  • Enjoy immediately or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

Equipment

Rolling Pin
3.5-inch Cookie Cutter
Cookie Dough Scoop

Notes

  • The instruction above will make chunky anko red bean paste. If you prefer a smooth texture, you can puree the beans in a food processor before adding the sugar.

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 135kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 2mg | Potassium: 52mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 4mg | Iron: 1mg
Author: izzycooking
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Japanese
Keyword: Daifuku, Daifuku Mochi
Tried this recipe?Follow or tag us on Pinterest @izzycooking
Daifuku!! This popular Japanese recipe makes a soft, tender, and chewy mochi rice cake enclosing a creamy, sweet red bean paste filling. Pure dessert bliss! With some simple tips, you can make this delicious snack in your own home and customize with your favorite fillings. #daifuku #DaifukuMochi

Filed Under: Dessert, Snacks Tagged With: azuki beans, cornstarch, mochiko, shiratamako, sugar, water

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