Oh man, it’s been not-enough-hours-in-the-day days around here lately. Most of the time it is safe to ignore me when I say that because I spend about half my waking hours huffing to B2 about the “million things I have to do” and then the other half of those hours on the couch doing zero of those things until it is too late to do them, but for once, it actually has been a little nonstop from one thing to the next. One of them is a very good one, though, and it’s that one of my good friends, source of indispensable life advice, and surrogate jie jie has been in town with her new (!) and awesome fiancé! They’ve been staying with us and I couldn’t be happier about it. I’m convinced that having house guests is one of my favorite ways to see friends. I get to feel like a real grown-up person when I put out “guest linens” and coffee accoutrements “in case you want to make some in the morning” (even if I have a couch instead of a guest bedroom and I forget to put out that cone that goes in the Hario so actually you cannot make some in the morning, oops), and it fits right in with my lazy-homebody agenda (see, e.g., dinner parties) because when things get hectic for them or me, there’s still always time before bed to sit and chat in pajamas and eat cookies even though you already brushed your teeth.
Which brings me to one of the best parts about overnight guests — the excuse to make food. If you, like me, have guests over the holiday season, and if you, like me, happen to be a little busier than usual, I submit peppermint mochi as a thing that is worth making. Mochi is already one of my favorite things, perfectly soft and chewy and gently sweet, but with a dose of peppermint extract, it becomes fresh and festive in the best way. I’ve been loving it as a Christmas-y holiday snack for guests — it mixes up in a matter of seconds, it’s cute in little bowls on the table, and it’s gluten-free and dairy-free and a lot of “frees” (except for a lot of sugar, whoops) so it works for almost everyone. The most time-consuming part is just letting the mochi cool and cutting it all up into bits amidst clouds of cornstarch, but if you need to, you can do that way ahead of time and freeze the little mochi pieces indefinitely until your guests arrive (or to nibble on out of the freezer when they’re gone). While Connie was here, we had lots of mochi and lots of chocolate chip cookies; when those cookies ran out, we put mochi into other cookies and had more. It was pretty great. And now that both my guests and our snacks are gone, I’m missing them all terribly. Come back soon, please and thank you!
P.S. The beautiful ceramic “paper” mug and “paper” plates in this post are from SIN. I was so excited to meet Virginia earlier this year and even more excited to own these whimsical ceramics that I’ve been coveting forever. In the spirit of the holiday season, you can get 20% off any ceramics on her site from now until February 1, 2016, one-time with the code tworedbowls! (Because January needs holiday love too.) Thank you so much, Virginia!
Peppermint mochi
These are wonderful plain, but if you’re a mint wuss like me, you can top some ultra-thick drinking chocolate with them or put them in cookies! A warning about hot chocolate — last year I tried almond mochi with matcha hot chocolate and found, to endless hilarity, that they sank straight to the bottom and I had to fish them up to eat them, so this year I made Marta’s eat-it-with-a-spoon hot chocolate and found that it was perfect. (Plus, it uses up that other half-can of coconut milk you’ll have from the mochi!)
Ingredients
- 1 cup (150 g) sweet rice (mochiko) flour
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 cup water
- 3/4 cup (6 oz) coconut milk (a little less than half of a 13.5 oz can)
- 1/2 tsp peppermint extract
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
- 4–8 drops red food coloring (optional)
- sweet potato starch or regular cornstarch for dusting
- a cup or two of extra-thick hot chocolate, for serving (optional, but delicious and a great way to use up the leftover coconut milk!)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 275 degrees. Line a 9×13 baking dish with parchment paper or grease it.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the mochiko, sugar, and baking powder. In a separate bowl, whisk together the water, coconut milk, and peppermint extract. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and whisk until the mixture is smooth and no lumps remain. (No worries about over-mixing here — sweet rice flour is gluten-free, and mochi is chewy to begin with!)
- Pour the batter into the parchment-lined baking dish. If you like, you can add a few drops of red food coloring to the batter to turn it a light pink, or pour about three-quarters of the batter, then color the remaining batter and pour that in to create patches of pink and white mochi. I had grand plans of swirling the batter into a pretty red and white marbled pattern, but, as it turns out, the mochi is too soft to hold a sharp pattern after it’s baked. Alas!
- Cover with foil and bake for about 60 minutes. The mochi is done when it is soft and gelatinous but bounces back when touched.
- Let cool completely or overnight. Dust a surface with your starch (alternatively, you can simply use more mochiko flour) and turn the mochi onto the surface. Sprinkle starch over the mochi. Cut the mochi into small pieces, then dust again with starch or flour, and serve! I liked them as a topping for this thick, spoonable hot chocolate, or mixed into brownie cookies, like these dark chocolate truffle cookies.
Erica
These are just so sparkly and perfect for the holidays!!! I love the idea of putting it in cookies. Mochi is sooooo magical. Also, the whole having-a-million-things-to-do-but-then-sitting-on-the-couch-instead = SO ME, I FEEL YA. Sounds like you’re having fun along the way though 🙂
Abby @ The Frosted Vegan
I love love love having houseguests, simply for the idea that someone else in the house is impressed by the baking and cookies we always have around 🙂 I’ve actually never eaten mochi (what?!), so I may need to try these!
Amanda
Awesome. Just beautiful. These little gems are so perfect for the season. I love mochi too…but holiday mochi??! Yes. I like having guests because it changes your perspective in how you view your routine, but it is a little bit of work on that you don’t get a ton of down time. Be well!
Nik@ABrownTable
I was feeling the same this weekend. I was contemplating how little time I have to do anything on the weekends and I finally got my butt off the couch, I could have at least accomplished one of those tasks. Mochi is like a tender cushion waiting to be bit and these peppermint ones look delicious, Cynthia!
Considering The Radish
Having guests is the best. I always end up staying up too late and making an elaborate breakfast. This looks like the perfect holiday snack, and I love your suggestion of serving the mochi with hot chocolate.
Heather (Delicious Not Gorgeous)
oh whoa! normally i microwave/steam mochi if it gets coated katakuriko, so this sounds cool just based on that. i have friends who will eat hot mochi straight from the bowl we’re cooking it in, so this is definitely going to be part of my christmas cookie set for them!
Ileana
My parents, sisters, and in-laws are visiting for Christmas, so I’ve been spending all my free time scribbling down ideas for what to cook! So excited, and you’re inspiring me with your festive mochi and those sticky date cinnamon rolls!
kathryn @ The Scratch Artist
I love mochi! But I have never endeavored to make my own…that has to change. This post was so sweet. I found myself laughing out loud multiple times <3
Brandon @ Kitchen Konfidence
I love love love this Cynthia!! Every time I get frozen yogurt, I always pile on the mochi. I can just imagine how delicious your peppermint version is. On the must-make list!
Shikha la mode
You know I’ve never made mochi before – it looks like a daunting process!
Lindsey
wow, i cannot believe that that cup is ceramic! this such a beautiful spread, cynthia, so full of festive cheer 🙂 hoping you’re able to squeeze more time out your days and relax a bit. big hugs! xo
Jane Y.
oh my gosh! i feel the same way when we have guests too — pulling out all the guest things 🙂 and this looks so amazingly festive and delicious 🙂 and very cute ceramics!!
Linda | The Baker Who Kerns
I’ve never tried mochi before, it looks pretty deliciously sweet! You seem like such a good host. Unfortunately when people stay at my apartment they don’t get guest linens but they do get plenty of amazing food!
Laura (Tutti Dolci)
So pretty, what a perfect treat for the season!
Sarah @ SnixyKitchen
If you served me this peppermint mochi as a houseguest, I may never leave! Last winter, my friend and I decided that it’d be brilliant to make boiled mochi with bits of crunchy candy cane rolled up into the balls…but we didn’t consider that the candy canes would melt and the whole thing would taste like gummy toothpaste. It was awful. And sad. BUT here you come in and re-ignite my craving for peppermint + mochi and show me that it CAN be done in the most delicious and beautiful way. I must make this asap. Or come visit you.
Brooke Bass
Those colors are so stinking beautiful!!! And I’d be totally happy if you made me mochi. And coffee accouterments. And, okay, anything–your friends are very luck humans 🙂
Also, I feel you so so much on the business lately. I honestly don’t know how you do all of these amazing, stunning creative food stuffs + a have FT job being a badass NYC attorney. You are an inspiration, my friend. Truly. So many hugs to you and B2 this holiday season! xoxo
xoxobellablog
Oh this looks sooo good!! I will have to try this
http://xoxobella.com
Erika
I feel like I should make mochi.. you’ve made me a believer with all of you recipes for this treat. and those ceramic cups.. I’ve just spent the last several minutes on SIN’s website and I feel like I need that oyster plate in my life.
Ellie@fitforthesoul
Mannnn this is so awesome, Cynthia!!! I just love gawking at those long chewy ropes of mochi, and it looks even better than store bought. Thumbs up, girl!
Ashlae
HA! I love that we have the same approach to our laundry list of to-dos. I’ve got half a dozen things I should be doing right now but instead I’d rather complain about them to Thom/sit on my computer, reading blog posts (while drooling over this mochi). And house guests who are also dear friends are the best kinda of house guests, in my opinion. 😉 Wish I could stuff my face with some of this mochi (which is also accidentally vegan!) because mochi is one of Thom’s favorite desserts and I’ve never been able to eat the kind he brings home from the Asian market (I think he does that on purpose). Big hugs to you, lady. <3
amoncur9
WOW.
These looks awesome and great pics. I want to try it!! My husband lived in Japan for a couple years and loves mochi.. I attempted once.. but this recipe makes me want to try again. Thanks!
stevensonohana.com
Savory Simple
I love mochi, this is such a fantastic version!
Lyndsay // Coco Cake Land
oh my gosh. you are the best hostess ever. GUEST LINENS! coffee accoutrements! we went wild for Bubbies ice cream mochi while we were in Maui … one of my fave Hawaii grocery store items!! Teddy got to choose flavours so we had vanilla (hehe) and strawberry … and kona coffee… I have Mochiko rice flour in my cupboard, I MUST make some mochi! These peppermint ones are the cutest! Have a blast in Hawaii, sweet friend!! XO
Pang {circahappy}
What a perfect dessert for holidays, Cynthia. It looks oh-so Beautiful & Delicious!!!! By the way, you are such a good host, and anyone will be lucky to stay at ‘Cynthia Inn.’ 🙂
P.S. Happy Holidays, lady. It has been so much fun reading & drooling at your blog this year. Can’t wait for next year 🙂
xoxo
Jennie @onesweetmess
I’ve never had the pleasure of experiencing mochi. I feel like this is the universe telling me that has to change. When I visit my aunt in Chicago, she turns her house into a hotel. She even folds the toilet paper to create that cute triangle.
Kori
I am trying to make this currently and my mix before it goes into the oven is watery and a liquid… is this normal?
tworedbowls
Totally normal! It should be fairly liquid. It will thicken as it bakes and as it cools. Please let me know how it turns out, I hope you like it!
Jennifer
If you reduce the amount of water the batter is thicker and you can make red swirls. It’s really pretty!