Easy Strawberry Mochi (How to Make Ichigo Daifuku)
on Sep 07, 2020
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Looking for an indulgent and refreshing dessert recipe? Try Strawberry Mochi! The fresh, juicy strawberry and sweet red bean paste are covered with the chewy and soft mochi cake. This beautiful Japanese strawberry ichigo daifuku mochi takes less than 20 minutes to make, and you can easily customize it for ice cream mochi or red bean filled mochi balls!
Strawberry Mochi is one of our family’s favorite desserts, along with Mochi Ice Cream, Matcha Mochi, Daifuku, and Sakura Mochi. It may seem intimidating to make this show-stopping treat, but it’s quite easy to prepare with a few simple tips.
Strawberry mochi (ichigo daifuku いちご大福) is a popular Japanese delicacy which was created in the 1980s. It’s made with special glutinous rice flour: Mochiko or Shiratamako. Strawberry ichigo mochi has a sticky and chewy mochi cake layer on the outside, and on the inside, there’s a fresh whole strawberry and sweet red bean paste. Traditionally it’s served with green tea or latte.
Watch Recipe Video
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Glutinous Rice Flour – The key to the best mochi is using Shiratamako or Mochiko (sweet rice flour). Note that they are different from the regular glutinous rice flour. You can find them in most Japanese grocery stores, or order them online from Amazon.
- Sugar – Use regular granulated sugar for this recipe.
- Cornstarch – This ingredient doesn’t go into the mochi, but you’ll need a generous amount to prevent the dough from sticking to your hands.
- Strawberries – I recommend using fresh strawberries (not frozen ones) that are small and round, as they are easier to wrap and look great once covered with the mochi cake. Fresh strawberries add a tangy and fresh flavor to the mochi. When combined with the sweet red bean paste and chewy mochi cake, it’s incredibly delicious.
- Red Bean Paste – The shortcut for a quick and easy strawberry mochi recipe is to use store-bought red bean paste. It’s available at most Asian grocery stores or you can order them online. If you prefer to make your own, see recipe notes for how to make homemade red bean paste. Alternatively, you can also use white bean paste.
- Water
How to Make Strawberry Daifuku Mochi
1. Rinse the strawberries and remove the green leaves. Then dry them completely.
2. Divide the red bean paste into 6 balls. Flatten each ball and wrap each strawberry with the red bean paste. Set them aside.
3. In a microwave-safe bowl, whisk together mochiko, sugar, and water. It’s important to whisk until everything is dissolved completely.
4. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or kitchen towel loosely. Microwave at full power for 2 minutes. Take it out and mix with a wet spatula. Cover and microwave for 30 more seconds until the dough becomes slightly translucent.
5. Then transfer the mochi dough onto the cornstarch-dusted parchment paper. Sprinkle more cornstarch onto the dough. Divide the dough into 6 equal parts and flatten each one into a circular shape. You can easily stretch the dough using your hands. (If your dough is too hot, wait for a few minutes until it’s cool enough to handle. But don’t wait too long or your dough won’t be stretchy enough.)
6. Place each red bean paste covered strawberry in the center of each mochi wrapper. Make sure the tip of the strawberry is positioned at the center of the wrapper. Pinch the four corners of the mochi wrapper, and then pinch the remaining corners together. Tap the bottom of the mochi with cornstarch. Brush the assembled mochi with a brush gently to remove excess cornstarch.
Tips for Making the Best Strawberry Ichigo Mochi
- Make sure to use Mochiko flour or Shiratamako flour for this recipe. If you only have regular glutinous flour, you can make mango mochi instead.
- Choose fresh strawberries that are round and small. If the strawberries are too big or too long, the mochi balls won’t look as good.
- It’s very important to mix all ingredients THOROUGHLY and make sure everything is completely dissolved before cooking them in a microwave. Otherwise, your mochi balls won’t have a smooth texture.
- As the dough is very sticky, you’ll need to use cornstarch to prevent it from sticking. It’s important to coat it evenly in a thin layer of cornstarch so it’s not overwhelmed by the white cornstarch powder.
- Avoid stretching the mochi dough too thin. Otherwise, it may tear easily.
Variations
Strawberry mochi is a Japanese wagashi that you can make with a few popular twists:
- Mochi dough: You can mix the dough with matcha green tea powder for an earthy flavor with a light green color. Or add a few drops of red coloring for a beautiful soft pink color (see the photo below).
- Fillings: Besides red bean paste, white bean paste (Shiroan) is also often used in strawberry mochi recipes. Occasionally, you’ll also see that whipped cream is used. Because the fillings of strawberry mochi always include fresh strawberries, this dessert is more popular during the spring and summer seasons.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Does Strawberry Mochi Taste Like?
The mochi cake layer has a unique texture that’s sticky, chewy, and sweet. The filling is a combination of juicy strawberries and sweet red bean paste. These strawberry mochi balls are incredibly delicious and addictive!
Can I Make Strawberry Mochi Ice Cream with This Recipe?
Yes, simply use the filling of frozen strawberry ice cream instead of the red bean covered strawberries for the delicious strawberry mochi ice cream. You can find details on how to make it in this post.
How to Store Strawberry Mochi and How Long Do They Last?
Store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator and they can last for up to 2 days. The strawberry mochi tastes the best on the day they’re made.
How to Make Homemade Red Bean Paste?
Red bean paste is very easy to make at home, and all you need is 3 ingredients: azuki red beans, sugar, and water.
Just add red beans and water to a pot, boil for 5 minutes, and drain the water. Add the bean back to the pot and add more water. Bring to boil again, cover with a lid, and simmer for 1 hour. Drain the water. Add sugar to red beans and stir until the mixture thickens. Let it chill before using it in your mochi.
Other Mochi Recipes You May Like:
If you tried this recipe, let me know how your strawberry mochi turns out in the comments below!
Best Strawberry Mochi Recipe (+VIDEO)
Ingredients
- 6 fresh strawberries, (I recommend using small and round strawberries)
- 1 cup red bean paste, (see recipe note for homemade red bean paste, you might need more or less depending on the size of your strawberries)
- 3/4 cup Mochiko, (or Shiratamako Sweet rice flour)
- 4 tablespoons sugar
- 3/4 cup water
- 1/2 cup cornstarch for dusting
Instructions
- Rinse the strawberries and remove green leaves. Then dry them completely. (Make sure to dry them properly before covering them with the red bean paste.)
- Divide the red bean paste into 6 equal-sized balls. Flatten each ball and wrap each strawberry with the red bean paste. Set them aside.
- In a microwave-safe bowl, whisk together mochiko, sugar, and water. It’s important to whisk until everything is dissolved completely.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or kitchen towel loosely.
- Microwave at full power for 2 minutes. Take it out and mix with a wet spatula. Cover and microwave for 30 more seconds until the dough becomes slightly translucent.
- Transfer the cooked mochi dough onto the cornstarch-dusted parchment paper. Sprinkle a thin layer of cornstarch onto the dough.
- Divide the dough into 6 equal parts and flatten each one into a circular shape. You can easily stretch the dough using your hands. (If your dough is too hot, wait for a few minutes until it’s cool enough to handle. Don't wait too long or your dough won't be stretchy enough.)
- Place each red bean paste covered strawberry in the center of each mochi wrapper. Make sure the pointing end is positioned at the center of the wrapper.
- Pinch the four corners of the mochi wrapper, and then pinch the remaining corners together.
- Tap the bottom of mochi with cornstarch. Brush the assembled green tea mochi with a brush gently to remove excess cornstarch.
- Repeat this process for the rest of the dough and fillings. Serve at room temperate. They can be store in the fridge for up to 2 days.
Video
Notes
- Make sure to use Mochiko flour or Shiratamako flour for this recipe.
- It’s very important to mix all ingredients THOROUGHLY and make sure everything is completely dissolved before cooking them in a steamer. Otherwise, your mochi balls won’t have a smooth texture.
- Avoid stretching the mochi dough too thin. Otherwise, it may tear easily.
- How to make homemade red bean paste:
- 1/3 cup red beans
- 1/3 cup sugar
- water
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate only and will vary based on ingredient brands and cooking methods used.
