Strawberry and Nutella Daifuku Mochi 　(ヌテラ苺大福)

You might be thinking that making mochi is difficult and daunting but it’s actually so simple and easy! These chocolate daifuku mochis are filled with store-bought Nutella and topped with juicy strawberries. You can make them with microwave in less than 30 mitutes!

What is the difference between Mochi and Daifuku?

Mochi is made by pounding steamed mochi rice which is the type of rice that is much stickier than ordinary Japanese rice that is used to make sushi. Whereas Daifuku is usually made by steaming a mixture of sugar and “shiratamako” which is powdered mochi rice. The mixture is called “gyuhi” and is used in lots of different kinds of Japanese sweets. Mochi is used in not only sweet dishes but also sweets, on the other hand, “gyuhi” is only used for sweets because it has sugar in it.

What is Shiratamako?

The process of making “shiratamako” is a bit complicated. First, white mochi rice is rinsed with water and secondly, it is milled with the rinse water, then, let it sit for a while to separate the water and milled mochi rice. Lastly, discard the water and dry the rice to make it “shiratamako“. It is sometimes called glutinous rice flour outside Japan.

Ingredients You will Need

Shiratamako (glutinous rice flour) – You can find shiratamako in Asian grocery stores and on Amazon. Any brand of it will work well in the recipe.

Sugar – Any sugar is fine.

Cocoa Powder – You need to use cocoa powder for baking not for drinking.

Nutella – If you don’t want to use Nutella in your daifuku mochi, use chocolate ganache instead. It’s so delicious as well.

Potato Starch or Corn Starch – It is a very important ingredient to prevent your mochi from sticking.

Cocoa Powder – If you don’t want to use cocoa powder for dusting, you can skip it. Use only potato starch to coat the mochi.

Strawberries – You can use other fruit if you want or you can simply make Nutella mochi.

Step-by- Step Guide

For the Nutella Filling

Scoop heaped teaspoons of Nutella onto a plate, and chill in the fridge.

For the Daifuku Mochi

1 In a deep dish or bowl, whisk together shiratamako(glutinous rice flour), water, sugar, and cocoa powder until smooth.

2 Wrap the dish with cling film and microwave it for 2 minutes at 600W, then, stir vigorously with a cutlery knife for a couple of minutes. Make sure to wear oven gloves when you take the dish out of the microwave as it will be very hot.

3 Cover the dish with cling film again and microwave it for another 3 minutes at 600W and stir the mixture for a couple of minutes again. At this step, the mixture should become one big mass when you stir.

4 In a plate or tray, put potato starch and cocoa powder and mix well. Transfer the mochi onto the cocoa and starch mixture to prevent it from sticking. Cover the mochi with a lot of starch. The mochi needs to be completely covered with starch.

5 Divide the mochi dough into 12 pieces (I made 6 mochis in the photo) with a scraper or knife. Pat the mochi pieces to remove excess starch and cocoa powder.

6 Take the Nutella out of the fridge and put a piece of firm Nutella on top of a piece of mochi. Wrap the Nutella with mochi and pinch the bottom of the mochi tightly to seal. Make sure to seal the bottom completely to prevent the filling from leaking. Repeat until you have used up all mochi and Nutella.

To Assemble

1 Have a pair of scissors and cut each daifuku mochi. Put strawberries on top of them like in the photo below.

2 Once you have topped all mochi with strawberries, enjoy it with a cup of green tea!

Tips for Maiking Daifuku mochi

Heat the mixture of shiratamako and water until translucent 　　

It is very important to heat your mochi mixture enough to get a proper chewy consistency and to cook out raw flour taste.

Use a lot of potato starch

Dusting potato starch liberally to prevent the mochi from sticking on the surface or a plate is essential.

Pinch tightly the bottom of your mochi 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

To seal the mochi to prevent Nutella from leaking, you need to pinch the edges of the bottom of each mochi.

Q & A

Can I make my daifuku mochi without a microwave?

Yes, you can make your daifuku mochi with a steamer. You just put a bowl or a plate of mochi mixture in a steamer and steam it for 10-15 minutes.

How long does daifuku mochi last?

Daifuku mochi usually last for 2 days at room temperature in an airtight container but if your room is very hot, eat your mochi as soon as possible.

How can I store my daifuku mochi?

Mochi tends to dry and become firm easily, so you must put it in an airtight container or cover it tightly with cling film.

Can I freeze my daifuku mochi?

Yes, you can freeze your daifuku if it hasn’t been topped with strawberries yet. You need to thaw it for 30-60 minutes before you finish them with strawberries or you can eat without fruit.

More Recipes to Enjoy

How to make Anko (Sweet Red Bean Paste)

Vegan Tangzhong Anpan (Japanese Red Bean Buns)

Chinese Steamed Black Sesame Red Bean Buns (Vegan)

Vegan Chinsuko (Okinawan Shortbread Cookies) ちんすこう