Strawberry Project #3: Daifuki/Mochi/いちご大福

Everytime I found these adorable mochi in a Japanese store, I am very tempted to try them but they are always very expensive. So with the large amount of strawberries from the picking, I decided to try making my own version of Ichigo Daifuku. I am not quite sure the reason for the high price, but making one definitely requires a lot of patience and a crafty hand. The layers of flavor is very delicate and fragrant. I am surprised how the tartness of the strawberries can perfectly compliments the sweetness of the red bean paste. Of course the mochi layer finshes off with a light chewy texture as if you are eating puff of clouds.

The original recipe yields 8 strawberry mochi but I roughly tripled the portions.Also, I divided the mochi batter into original and strawberry flavor as well.

Ingredients (original):

8 small strawberries
160g red bean paste
100g mochiko(glutinous rice flour)
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
120ml water (I substitute with coconut milk water)
roasted mochiko flour for dusting ~ 1 cup, add more if needed

Strawberry puree ~1/2 cup 

 

1. Roast  the mochiko flour on a fry pan without oil until hot. Don't over-roast to a brown color. Prepare strawberry puree using about 1/2 pint of additional strawberries. Set aside to cool down to room temperature.
   
2. Mix glutinous rice flour and sugar together in a heatproof bowl. Add water or sweetened coconut milk and stir to dissolve. (*Be generous with the liquid portion because the mixture tends to get too dry. You should make sure the final texture will be similar to a smooth yogurt texture)
   
3. Divide the batter in half. Add strawberry puree in one half, leave the other half plain.
   
4. Cover the bowl with heatproof cling wrap or a heatproof plate/cover. Place in a steamer and steam over high heat for 15-25  minutes.
5. Rinse, dry, and hull the strawberries. Roll red bean paste into 20g balls. Flatten each ball into a small disc and wrap with one strawberry. Chill in fridge.
   
6. Stir cooked mochi thoroughly. Before rolling out the mochi, wear plastic gloves or pat your hands with roasted mochiko flour. Use a tablespoon to scrape a golf ball size of mochi, roll it and press it flat. Insert the red bean strawberry at the center, carefully fold the mochi around the strawberry and close the ends tightly. Loose ends will lead to leaking and cracks later on. Roll the mochi in a bowl of roasted mochiko flour.
   
7. Repeat the same with the rest of the mochi. (Note: Work briskly as the mochi will get less flexible as it cools.) Leave the daifuku at room temperature for an hour to set before serving. Daifuku tastes best on the day it is made. If there are any leftovers cover and store at room temperature. 

Strawberry Project #2: Marbled Shortcake

Project #2: I have longed to create a tart yet buttery loaf of cake. And strawberry is definitely a perfect ingredient. This strawberry bread gives a nice hint of cinnamon aroma amidst the sweet strawberry swirl. I wish I had added more puree to give more flavor to the cake.

Ingredients:
5 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon unsalted butter, softened, plus more for pan
1 pint strawberries, rinsed, hulled, quartered, and mashed with a fork
1/2 cup sugar (for strawberries)
lemon juice (optional)
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar 
2 large eggs
1/3 cup water (or  buttermilk) 

Steps:

1. Preheat oven 350 degrees F, butter a regular 8-by-4-inch loaf pan. In a small saucepan, cook the strawberries then add lemon juice and sugar. Stir constantly until sauce becomes thick. Set aside. 
2. Whisk together all the dry ingredients flour, baking soda, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt, set aside. With an electric mixer, cream butter, sugar, and eggs in a mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Add dry mixture alternately with 1/3 cup water, beginning and ending with flour. Fold in reserved strawberries.
   
3. Scrape batter into the loaf pan. Bake 1 hour. Test by inserting toothpick in center comes out clean. Cool in a pan for 5 minutes before moving to the baking rack. Serve with fresh cream and strawberry compote for extra flavor. Enjoy! 
   

Tips:

1. Try not to overmix your final batter after you add the dry ingredients. Just mix until combined, otherwise the cake will come out dry 
2. Sprinkle raw sugar on the top before baking will add a sweet crust to the cake 
3. Add chunks of strawberries into the batter in addition to the sauce to add flavor
4. Be generous with the sauce, don't worry about making the cake too wet! Also, should consider reducing about 1/4 cup flour if you find the batter starting to get thick

Strawberry project #1: Puree Strawberry Iced Tea

It's been a long time since my last update. I have been busy mastering my motherhood the past month with our new baby boy. Man, it is not easy! But after he just passed a month, I finally got a hang of it (slightly). So I am finally back with my own routine :)

This recipe was dated back when I went to strawberry picking for the first time. I was at the end of my second trimester, picking strawberries with the heavy belly. But we managed to get over 10 lbs of strawberries from 4 bare hands! Look at those cute ruby gems!

strawberries is by far one of my most favorite fruits for desserts. So in order to make fully use of these brautiful gems, I came up with 4 baking projects. Hope you will like them!

Project #1: Iced Tea (servings for 4)

Ingredients:
Strawberries a handful (8-10 stemmed and cut)
lemon juice 1 tsp
honey 2 tbsp
1 pot of hot tea
2 tea bags (preferrably Darjeeling, Asaam or Earl Grey)

Steps:

1. Pureed the strawberries and add all the ingredients. Mix well
   
2. Set aside puree. Sip the tea bags in hot water in the tea pot for 10 minutes. Use a towel/cover to cover the teapot to ensure better quality
3. Add ice cubes till 1/2 cup full, add about 2 tbsp of puree
   
4. remove tea bags and set the tea cool for 1 minute
5. pour tea immediately into the cup. The ice should be able to ice the tea right away
   

Tips:

1. The tea should be double stronger than usual since the ice will slightly dilute the flavor
2. cook the puree into a compote for more concentrated flavor. Make sure to cool down to  room temperature before serving