Mochi Ice Cream

Method13 steps · about 5 hr

1. 1

   Step 1: Before You Start…Please note that this recipe requires 4+ hours of chilling and freezing time.

2. 2

   Step 2: Gather all the ingredients. Equipment you will need: 12 aluminum/silicone cupcake liners, a medium cookie scoop (smaller than an ice cream scooper), a rolling pin, and a 3.5 inch (9 cm) cookie cutter or a round bowl/glass cup.

   
3. 3

   Step 3: Using a medium cookie scoop, make about 12 small ice-cream balls in the cupcake liners. Return them to the freezer immediately and freeze for a few hours, until completely solid. Use one frozen ball per wrapper and keep extra ice cream in the freezer if the dough yields fewer wrappers.

   Uses ice cream, enough for about 12 small cookie-scoop balls

   
4. 4

   Step 4: Once the ice cream balls are frozen solid, combine the shiratamako (¾ cup) and sugar (¼ cup) in a medium bowl and whisk them together. To use mochiko (¾ cup) instead, substitute the listed mochiko for the shiratamako.

   Uses ¾ cup shiratamako ONLY if using this flour · ¾ cup mochiko ONLY instead of shiratamako · ¼ cup sugar (do not omit sugar as the moisture in the sugar helps mochi stay softer)

   
5. 5

   Step 5: Add the water (¾ cup) to the dry mochi mixture and whisk well until smooth.

   Uses chosen rice flour and sugar mixture · ¾ cup water

   
6. 6

   Step 6: Microwave Method: If you’re using a microwave to cook mochi, cover the bowl with some plastic wrap (do not cover too tight). Put the bowl in the microwave and heat it on high heat (1000w) for 1 minute. Take it out and stir with a wet rubber spatula. Cover again and cook for 1 minute. Stir again, cover, and cook for 30 seconds to finish cooking. The color of mochi should change from white to almost translucent.

   Uses mochi batter

   
7. 7

   Step 7: Cover the work surface with parchment paper and dust it generously with some of the ½ cup potato starch or cornstarch. Then transfer the cooked mochi on top.

   Uses cooked mochi · some of the dusting starch

   
8. 8

   Step 8: To prevent from sticking, sprinkle more potato starch on top of the mochi. Once it’s cool down a bit, you can spread the mochi into a thin layer, about ⅛ inch (3 mm), with your hands or with a rolling pin. Make sure to apply potato starch on your hands and the rolling pin. I recommend using a rolling pin because it’s easier to evenly spread out.

   Uses starch-dusted cooked mochi · additional dusting starch as needed

   
9. 9

   Step 9: Transfer the mochi with parchment paper onto a large baking sheet. Refrigerate for 15 minutes until the mochi is set.

   Uses rolled thin mochi sheet

10. 10

    Step 10: Take out the mochi from the refrigerator and cut out 7–8 circles with the cookie cutter.

    Uses chilled mochi sheet

    
11. 11

    Step 11: Dust off the excess potato starch with a pastry brush. If you find some sticky part, cover the area with potato starch first then dust off. Place a plastic wrap on a plate and then mochi wrapper on top, then lay another layer of plastic wrapper down. Repeat for all wrappers. With leftover mochi dough, roll into a ball and then flatten into a thin layer again and cut out into more circle wrappers (I could make about 12 mochi wrappers).

    Uses cut mochi circles and dough scraps · starch only as needed; brush excess off

    
12. 12

    Step 12: Now we’re ready to form mochi ice cream balls. On the work surface, place one sheet of plastic wrap with a mochi layer on top. Working quickly, place a scoop of ice cream into the center of the mochi wrapper. Pinch the four corners of the mochi layer together to wrap the ice cream ball. Repeat with the remaining mochi wrappers and ice cream balls.

    Uses prepared mochi wrappers · frozen ice-cream balls

    
13. 13

    Step 13: When mochi gets sticky, put some potato starch on the sticky area and seal the opening. Quickly cover with the plastic wrap and twist to close. Place each mochi ice cream into a cupcake pan to keep the shape. You will need to work on one mochi ice cream at a time in order to keep the ice cream frozen at all times. Put mochi ice cream back into the freezer for at least 2–3 hours. When you’re ready to serve, keep them outside for a few minutes until outer mochi gets soften a little bit.

    Uses wrapped mochi ice cream · a little starch on sticky seams if needed