Mochi Doughnuts Food

MATCHA MOCHI DOUGHNUTS

Steps:

• For the starter: Mix the rice flour and milk in a small microwave-safe bowl until smooth. Microwave for 20 seconds and stir (the mixture will be very thick). Microwave for 10 seconds, then stir. The mixture should now be very sticky (it will pull like a rubber band when stretched upwards with a spoon) and have gone from white to translucent. If not, microwave for 10 seconds more. Set aside to cool slightly.
• For the doughnuts: Combine the rice flour, granulated sugar, matcha powder, baking powder and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer. Mix with the paddle attachment on low just to combine. Whisk together the milk, butter, vanilla and egg in a spouted measuring cup. Add to the mixer bowl and beat on medium to combine. Scrape in all of the starter and mix until the dough comes together. Mix on high speed until very smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. (The dough will not clean the sides of the bowl and be slightly sticky to the touch.)
• Dust your work surface with rice flour and empty the dough onto the counter. Knead until soft and smooth (almost like Play-Doh). Cut 12 (4-by-4-inch) squares of parchment. Roll the dough to a scant 1/2 inch and cut as many circles as you can with a 1 1/4-inch ring cutter. Reroll to cut more circles. Group 6 dough rounds on a piece of parchment in the shape of a circle, with the pieces touching and a hole in the middle. Pat gently to seal the pieces together. Repeat with the remaining circles to get about 12 doughnuts.
• Meanwhile, heat about 2 inches of oil in a large Dutch oven to 340 degrees F.
• To fry, slide the doughnuts, still on the paper, into the hot oil in batches of 4. Let fry about 30 seconds, then remove the papers and discard. Continue to fry until cooked, 5 to 6 minutes total per batch. Let cool completely before glazing.
• For the glaze: Whisk the confectioners' sugar and matcha in a small bowl to combine. Whisk in the lemon juice, vanilla and 3 tablespoons of the milk to make a smooth, thick glaze. (Gradually add 1 tablespoon more milk if needed.) If the glaze is still too thick (it should run leisurely from a spoon), add more milk a teaspoon at a time to reach the desired consistency.
• Dip the top of each doughnut in the glaze and then into the sprinkles if using. Place on a baking rack to dry and harden.

MOCHI DOUGHNUTS

Steps:

• Whisk 1 cup plus 1 Tbsp. (170 g) mochiko (sweet rice flour) and 1 cup (120 g) tapioca starch (tapioca flour) in a small bowl to combine.
• Bring ⅔ cup whole milk, ⅓ cup (67 g) granulated sugar, 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, and ½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high. Remove from heat, add dry ingredients, and stir with a wooden until a lumpy paste forms. (Mixture will be dry in spots and hard to combine, but don't worry; this is normal.)
• Transfer dough to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and mix on medium speed to release some steam and cool slightly, until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add 1 large egg and mix (still on medium speed) until combined, about 2 minutes. Add 2 tsp. baking powder and mix until combined and dough is sticky but smooth, about 30 seconds. Place a piece of plastic directly on top of dough and let rest 15 minutes.
• Pour vegetable oil (about 8 cups) into a large pot to come 2" up sides; fit pot with thermometer and heat oil over medium until thermometer registers 350°.
• If making doughnut holes, line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. If making doughnut rings, cut a large piece of parchment paper into nine 4x4" squares and set aside. Using a biscuit cutter or drinking glass as a guide, draw a 3" circle on 1 square; this will be your guide.
• To shape ring doughnuts, lightly oil your hands and scoop out teaspoonfuls of dough (8 g per piece if you have a kitchen scale) and roll into balls. Place guide underneath another parchment square and arrange 8 balls around the circle, making sure they are touching. Transfer parchment with doughnut ring to a rimmed baking sheet. Repeat rolling and shaping process to make 7 more doughnuts.
• Working with 1 doughnut ring at a time, carefully pick up a parchment square and lower it, doughnut side down, into oil. Fry about 45 seconds, then carefully remove parchment with tongs and discard. Continue to fry doughnut until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side (do not flip too early or doughnut may break apart). Carefully transfer to a wire rack and let cool.
• To shape doughnut holes, lightly oil your hands and scoop out a tablespoon of dough (18 g per piece) and roll into balls. Place balls on prepared baking sheet.
• Working in batches, lower dough balls into oil with a slotted spoon and fry, turning occasionally, until golden brown all over, about 3 minutes. Carefully transfer to a wire rack and let cool.
• If using 1 Tbsp. freeze-dried raspberries or black sesame seeds, finely grind in a spice mill (or, with a mortar and pestle if using the raspberries).
• Whisk 1 cup (110 g) powdered sugar, 2 Tbsp. whole milk, ⅛ tsp. kosher salt, and 2 tsp. finely ground freeze-dried raspberries or black sesame seeds or 2 tsp. unsweetened cocoa powder; 1 tsp. matcha, preferably ceremonial grade; or ½ tsp. ube extract in a small bowl until smooth. (Glaze should be thick but pourable-like a yogurt drink. Thin with additional 1 Tbsp. whole milk if needed.) Stir in ½ tsp. vanilla extract if making the ube version.
• Dip tops of doughnuts in glaze, letting excess drip back into bowl, and return to rack. Let sit until glaze is set, about 15 minutes.

MOCHI

Steps:

• In a bowl (I use a souffle-size bowl, around 2 cups) stir together the rice flour and sugar.
• While mixing with a spoon or small stiff spatula, pour in the boiling water.
• Stir in clockwise direction until the lumps disappear, and the batter is slightly elasticky, about 2 minutes (note: it will become difficult to stir, but try your best anyway!).
• Cover the container with plastic wrap, and microwave on HIGH for 2-4 minutes, depending on your microwave.
• Meanwhile, grease a ziploc bag well.
• Invert the bag (oil side out), and remove the mochi from the bowl into the bag (you can let it cool a bit before you do this, but the more you cool it, the harder the bowl will become to clean =/). Don't burn yourself!
• While the mochi is still warm, start kneading. To knead: Stretch and flatten the dough inside the bag with the palm of your hand, then pick up the bag at one corner, shake it so that it rolls into a ball again, then repeat. You can also knead it by placing the mochi into a greased bowl, and knead it as you would a normal dough. Knead for about 7~10 minutes, or to the consistency (chewiness) you want.
• To prepare the coating: Process the peanuts in a blender or food processor, and spread the powder out in a plate. Do not add sugar to the coating! Because the sugar will dissolve with the moisture in the mochi, making it super sticky.
• Pull off a teaspoonful-sized mochi ball with your hand, and coat in peanut powder. Alternatively, if you prepared it inside a bag, cut off a 1/4" corner, and squeeze from the bag. Separate the balls with greased scissors, or with chopsticks =P.
• Enjoy!
• Variations: Instead of using a coating, you could also wrap sweet red bean paste inside the mochi for daifukus =).