PB & C Mochi

Salty peanut butter filling, chocolate shell, and chewy mochi exterior

Ooey, gooey, salty and sweet. This is a common American twist on a Japanese sweet. Mochi is traditionally sweet sticky rice mashed into a smooth and sticky consistency which is commonly stuffed with a variety of fillings. Peanut butter and chocolate is definitely not a traditional filling found in Japan, but in Hawaii mochi has been recreated and filled with this American favorite flavor combo. Oddly enough, chocolate and peanut butter is a perfect pairing for these tender mochi balls. It is a perfect fusion of American and Japanese culture that reflects ethnicity of a lot of the population here in Hawaii. A sweet and salty center with fast melting chocolate and chewy mochi outside.

Ingredients

PB Filling

1 cup salted unsweetened peanut butter (either crunchy or smooth, your choice!)

1 ½ powdered sugar

Chocolate shell

4 oz semi sweet baker’s chocolate (i used 56% cacao)

2 Tbsp coconut oil

Mochi

2 cups mochiko (sticky rice flour)

1 ½ cup water

½ cup sugar

Corn starch as needed

Procedures

Start off by making the peanut butter filling. In a medium mixing bowl stir together the peanut butter and powdered sugar starting with ½ cup of powdered sugar at a time.

Once the powdered sugar and peanut butter are well combined, take a heaping tablespoon of the filling and roll into a ball. Place the peanut butter ball onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Continue until all the filling is used up. It should make about 13 peanut butter balls.

Place the baking sheet with the 13 peanut butter balls into the freezer. Keep them in the freezer until they harden, about 20 minutes.

When the peanut butter is mostly solidified, start making the chocolate shell. Start by chopping the baker’s chocolate bar into small pieces. Place the chocolate pieces into a microwave safe bowl along with the 2 tablespoons of coconut oil.

Microwave the chocolate and coconut oil by 20 second increments stirring each time until the chocolate is completely melted.

Remove the peanut butter from the freezer and place the frozen pb balls in a clean bowl leaving the parchment paper on the baking sheet. Take a pb ball and drop it into the bowl of chocolate. Scoop it out with a fork and tap gently on the side of the bowl to remove excess chocolate. Place the chocolate covered pb ball onto the parchment paper lined baking sheet. Repeat until all the pb balls are covered with chocolate.

Place the baking sheet with the chocolate covered pb balls into the freezer for about 30 minutes.

While the chocolate covered pb balls are chilling, start making the mochi.

In a heat proof bowl, add the mochiko and water and mix well to combine. If the mixture is too dry add more water one tablespoon at a time. The mixture should be moist all the way through but still stiff.

Place the bowl into a steamer and steam the mochiko for 20 to 30 minutes until the mochi is sticky and slightly opaque. Mix the mochi to ensure it is thoroughly cooked before moving onto the next step.

When the mochi is fully cooked, remove from the bowl and steamer and place into a small pot. Add the ½ cup of sugar and heat on low heat. Continuously stir until the sugar is fully melted and incorporated into the mochi.

Dust a parchment paper lined baking sheet with cornstarch and dump the mochi onto the corn starch.

Remove the chocolate covered pb balls from the freezer and you are ready to assemble. Now, it is a race against the clock in order to prevent the mochi from hardening and the chocolate from melting.

Dust your hands with cornstarch and grab about 1 ½ tablespoons worth of mochi. Roll the mochi into a ball then flatten it out with the palms of your hands. Add more cornstarch to your hands at anytime to prevent the mochi from sticking to your hands. Place a chocolate covered pb ball into the center of the mochi.

Pinch the rims of the mochi together to steal the pb ball completely by with the mochi. Place the back onto the baking sheet making sure it is well dusted with cornstarch. Repeat until all the mochi is used or until all the pb balls are covered.

Mochi balls are best enjoyed at room temperature within the first day or two, but can be kept in the fridge to preserve for longer.

I hope you guys try this recipe out and let me know what you think. Also, feel free to get creative and add your own kind of filling to these mochi balls. Thanks for reading and enjoy!