Japanese Mochi Ice Cream Recipes

MOCHI ICE CREAM

Steps:

• Freeze ice cream balls: Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Working quickly, use a small ice cream scoop to scoop ice cream balls and place them onto the parchment paper. Be sure to pack the ice cream tightly as you scoop, leaving a flat edge on the ice cream so that it will sit flat on your cookie sheet. Freeze for 1 hour.
• Make mochi: Combine flour, sugar, and powdered sugar in a microwave safe bowl. Add water and stir well until smooth. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and microwave mochi dough for 1 minute. Wet your spatula to prevent sticking and use your spatula to repeatedly fold the mixture. Cover and microwave again for 1 minute. Fold the dough again and microwave for 30 more seconds. The mochi should look slightly shiny and if it doesn't, microwave for 30 more seconds.
• Roll dough: Place a piece of parchment paper on the counter and dust with a layer of cornstarch. Use a rubber spatula to scrape the mochi dough from the bowl and onto the parchment paper (keep in mind that it will be very hot, so be careful not to touch it. Place the dirty dishes in the sink and soak them in water.
• Dust the top of the dough ball with cornstarch. Use a rolling pin to roll the mochi dough into a large rectangle. If the dough sticks at all while rolling, continue to dust the top with cornstarch to prevent sticking. Roll the dough to a thickness of 1/4''. Place the parchment paper with the rolled out dough onto a sheet pan and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Use scissors to cut large squares of plastic wrap (one for each ice cream ball). Each mochi will get wrapped in plastic wrap before freezing.
• Fill the dough: Remove the dough from the fridge and use a round cookie or biscuit cutter (about 3 inch round) to cut circles in the dough. Your circles need to be big enough to pinch the dough around the ice cream. Pick up one circle of dough and gently brush off the cornstarch from the top (I like to use a dry pastry brush to do this). Working with one scoop of ice cream at a time, keeping the rest in the freezer so they don't melt, place one ice cream scoop in the center of the mochi and gently press the dough around the ice cream. Pinch the edges of the mochi to seal it. Place mochi on a piece of plastic wrap bringing the corners of the square to the center and twisting tightly at the top to seal it.
• Freeze: Place mochi back in the freezer with the twisted plastic wrap side down. Continue with remaining dough and ice cream. Freeze mochi ice cream for at least 1 hour before eating. Once frozen, store it, still wrapped in the plastic wrap, in a freezer safe bag or container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Allow the dough to slightly thaw before eating.

HOW TO MAKE JAPANESE MOCHI ICE CREAM RECIPE

Steps:

• Line a small tray with parchment paper.
• With a small ice cream scoop or spoon, scoop out twelve 2 tablespoon-sized scoops of ice cream (about .75oz /20g) onto the prepared and place in the freezer.
• In a large microwave-safe bowl combine the sweet rice flour, sugar, and water, cover with plastic wrap and microwave for one minute.
• Stir the rice flour mixture with a whisk to remove any lumps, re-cover with the plastic wrap, and microwave for another minute.
• Dip a rubber spatula in water and stir the rice mixture again (do not use the whisk this time - it will be too sticky).
• Cover the rice mixture one more time and microwave for another 30 seconds. It will now be a sticky dough. If adding in food dye stir it in at this point until it's evenly throughout the dough.
• Place a large parchment paper on your counter and cover the paper with a generous dusting of cornstarch (or potato starch).
• With a wet spatula, scrape the dough onto the cornstarch and dust the top of the dough with more cornstarch.
• Roll the dough into a rectangle no less than 1/4 inch thick (about 12x14inches/30x35cm). Keep dusting the top and bottom of the dough with cornstarch as you roll or it will stick.
• Once the dough is rolled out, place the parchment paper on a cookie sheet and place in the refrigerator to set for 30 minutes.
• Once the dough has set, cut circles of dough with a 3 ¾ inch (9½ cm) cutter.
• Pick up one circle of dough and brush off the excess cornstarch from both sides.
• Working quickly, take one scoop of ice cream, place in the center of the circle flat side facing you. Press the edges of the dough together around the ice cream ball, squeezing to seal.
• Wrap the mochi ice cream balls in cling wrap and place seam side down back in the freezer to set. You could use an egg carton to keep them upright. Repeat with remaining circles of dough and ice cream balls. Allow mochi to freeze totally for a minimum of 2 hours in the freezer.
• When ready to eat, remove from the freezer and let sit for a few minutes to let soften.
• Store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 1 week.

MOCHI ICE CREAM

Steps:

• Line a small baking sheet or an egg carton with plastic wrap. Scoop the ice cream into 8 tight round balls using a 1-ounce cookie scoop (about 2 packed tablespoons each). Freeze on the prepared pan or in the egg carton cups until solid, at least 4 hours or overnight.
• Place a large piece of parchment paper on a work surface. Using a fine-mesh sieve, dust the parchment generously with cornstarch. (Use more cornstarch than you think you need - the dough will be very sticky.) In a large bowl, whisk the rice flour, sugar, water and food coloring until smooth. Pour the mixture into a small saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring and folding with a rubber spatula, until a stiff tacky dough forms, 5 to 7 minutes. (It's OK if it looks lumpy at first; it will smooth out.) The dough should be very thick and feel slightly tough and rubbery.
• Transfer the dough to the parchment and dust the top generously with cornstarch. Place another piece of parchment over the dough and carefully press into a thin disk. Let the dough cool to room temperature, about 1 hour.
• Roll out the dough into a large round or oval, about 1/4 inch thick. Using a 4- to 4 1/2-inch fluted or plain round cookie cutter, cut out as many rounds as possible. Gather the scraps to cut out more rounds, dusting with more cornstarch as needed (you should have at least 8 rounds). Dust a plate with cornstarch; make sure the dough rounds are dusted with cornstarch, then stack them on the plate and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes.
• Assemble the mochi: Use plastic gloves if you have them. Line a small baking sheet or a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with parchment paper, dust generously with cornstarch and place in the freezer. Fill a small dish with cool water. Working with one dough round at a time, gently brush off any excess cornstarch and place the round flat in your hand. Working quickly, place a scoop of ice cream into the center of the dough. Gently pull up the edges of the dough to enclose the ice cream, using a small dab of water if the seams aren't sticking. Gently stretch, twist and pinch the dough together at the seams to secure. Immediately place the mochi seam-side down in the cold pan in the freezer. Repeat with the remaining dough rounds and ice cream balls. Cover the mochi with plastic wrap and freeze until firm, 1 to 2 hours. Let soften for a few minutes before eating.