There is a Mochi Ice Cream craze sweeping some countries right now. Not exactly sure what Mochi is? Stay with us a little more.
Mochi is surely and rapidly getting more and more popular on social media, and its name is Mochi. For all you BTS fans (you know, the popular K-pop boy band), you’re probably familiar with the name since one of the members (Park Jimin) is known as Little Mochi. Jimin gained the nickname because he loves ice cream and his fans and friends claim his plump “squishy” cheeks make him look like a mochi ice cream ball.
James Corden, the guy that hosted the recent Friends reunion and who seems to be everywhere these days, jumped in on the action. He used the mochi nickname, and dubbed the star Jimin as “baby mochi” whilst earning himself the title of “papa mochi”.
However, we are not talking about the K-pop star but the actual dessert. So what exactly is mochi? Aesthetically they look like coloured balls of dough. In reality what mochi is made of is ice cream wrapped in a sticky rice flour coating, giving them a sensation of chewy ice cream.
These are the types of foods that are either a hit or miss and vary on an individual level. The craze over these cool, refreshing treats comes in a range of colours and flavours and is the current craze of the moment.
This gooey dessert is very popular in Japan and with good reason. Mochi 餅 got its iconic name from the word ‘mochigome’ もち米 which is the type of rice used to create these. You can get a similar texture from other sticky rice alternatives but if you’re looking for the real deal, it needs to be made from mochigome rice.
Mochi ice cream balls originate from Japan and authentic mochi is created by a process of pounding sticky rice and heating it several times to reach the doughy/chewy consistency required. Most people looking for a mochi recipe would probably skip the authenticity of the pounding of rice and opt for rice flour instead (which is basically refined, ground rice).
For all, you chemistry enthusiasts, the rice used has a high quantity of the starch Amylopectin. This basically allows the rice to retain its stickiness and even gives us that doughy/gooey texture when heated and this is exactly what we need in a mochi ice cream ball. If you have already tried Mochi, you know what we are talking about.
It is hard to understand exactly when mochi was first made but some suspect that it may have been as far back as around 1500 years ago. In recent years its popularity has spread far and wide, with most people opting for store-bought options such as these delights from Mochi Queen.
What did we think about Mochi Ice Cream? We love desserts and love trying new things. We tried three flavours – matcha tea, mango and passion fruit. On the initial bite, it might feel a bit weird biting into what you know is ice cream but yet getting the gooey consistency instead.
However, these can be quite interesting desserts, especially if you are quite fond of ice cream. Our favourite from mochi queen was definitely the mango one, but we cannot wait to taste more. We have to admit that matcha tea mochi is an acquired taste and not our favourite of the three.
We have a newfound respect for those who create Mochi Ice Cream from scratch through the authentic process of pounding rice because, in all honesty, the pounding of the rice requires quite a lot of talent and speed whilst also verging on the edge of being dangerous.
Check out the video below showing exactly how they pound mochigome rice. It usually requires two people where one would use a large hammer-like tool to pound the rice, whilst the other person would use their fists to mix it. Without proper rhythm and synchronized movements, it can be quite dangerous!
Are they gluten-free? Yes, they are! Also, as a side note, apparently, these delicious treats are around 80 calories each so they can make a great snack or dessert if eaten in moderation!
We’re sure that most of you have tried Mochi Ice Cream or are thinking of trying this in the near future, so do let us know what you think.
Was this a hit or a miss for you? Do you prefer Mochi Ice Cream over regular ice cream? Let us know!
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