Daifuku 大福 or Daifuku mochi (大福餅) is a popular and delicious Japanese sweet. It is a small round mochi stuffed with a sweet anko filling. I am thrilled to share my easy recipe here.
What is Daifuku?
Daifuku is one of the delicious “Wagashi” Japanese sweets. It is a bouncy rice cake mochi filled with anko sweetened red bean paste made from Azuki beans. Such a popular sweet and you can buy them from any supermarkets in Japan.
How to make Daifuku mochi?
For those who live outside of Japan including me, we cannot access ready-made Daifuku mochi. So let’s make them! They are made from mainly two parts. Outer mochi rice cake and inner anko sweet bean paste.
Short cut mochi making
Mochi is made by pounding steamed glutinous rice. The glutinous rice also called sweet rice though it is not sweet. I remember making mochi takes about half a day. Also making mochi is a bit daunting due to the unfamiliar ingredients. However don’t worry, there is a short cut. We just place the flour and water together, then cling wrap and microwave!
Rice flour: Shiratamako
We can use rice flour and a microwave. There are many different types of rice flour. I have explained the difference between Shiratamako
, Glutinous Rice Flour and Mochiko
in-depth in my mochi ice cream post. They are all made from rice flour but the main difference is the making process. I usually use Shiratamako for smooths texture.
Potato starch: Katakuriko
We need a generous amount of Katakuriko. Because the rice cake becomes super sticky. We only use potato starch for sticky mochi material handling. We will remove this potato starch with a brush after shaping.
Swedish red peas
Swedish red peas add a cute polka dots effect to the mochi. Though it might be difficult to find this ingredient so it is optional. Try the following shop. https://greatlakesstapleseeds.com/products/swedish-red-pea You need to be a little bit careful not to overcook them because we want to keep there shape to add in the mochi. Swedish red peas are also typically used in Anmitsu.
The best companion to Japanese tea
Japanese sweets “Wagashi” are best served with green tea, matcha green tea, and you could try our matcha latte and hojicha as well. Sweet bouncy and chewy mochi with slightly salted Swedish red peas and sweet red bean paste match perfectly with Japanese tea.
How to store Daifuku mochi?
Cling wrap individually and store in a container. It will keep for about two weeks in the freezer. Thaw it naturally in the refrigerator.
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Recipe notes
- To alter the serving size click on the serving number and move the slider left or right to adjust the quantity.
- As you move the slider the quantities of the ingredients will adjust accordingly in both imperial and metric measurements.
Daifuku mochi
Ingredients
- 2tbsp/30g Swedish red peas Dried *1
- 1 2/3 cups/180g Shiratamako (rice flour) *2
- 2tbsp/30g caster sugar
- 0.8cup/200ml water
- 12tbsp/180g Anko sweet red bean paste *3
- 1 cup Katakuriko Potato starch for hundling mochi dough
Instructions
- Place the Swedish red peas in a small saucepan and pour enough water to cover the red peas. Bring it to simmer over low heat and cook for 10 minutes.
- Turn the heat off and Let it soak overnight.
- Drain the water the next morning and set aside.
- Divide the anko sweet red bean paste into 6 balls (2 tbsp each).
- Place the Shiratamako in a mixing bowl and add sugar and water.
- MIx them well with a wooden spatula and wrap it over with cling wrap.
- 600w microwave for one minute and 30 seconds.
- Take the mixing bowl out of the microwave and stir the rice flower with wooden spatula.
- Cover the bowl with cling wrap again and microwave for farther one minute.
- Prepare stainless steel tray by covering the bottom of the tray with generous amount of Katakuriko potato starch.
- Remove the mixing bowl out of the microwave and stir the mochi dough with the wooden spatula then transfer the mochi dough onto the katakuriko potato starch on the stainless steel tray.
- Cover your hand with katakuriko potato starch and spread the mochi dough out with your hand.
- Place the Swedish red peas over the mochi dough and fold the mochi dough in half.
- Divide the mochi dough into three using a skapper.
- Take one dough on your palm and flat it. Place one anko red bean ball on the centre of mochi.
- Gather the edge of mochi to wrap the anoko ball with mochi using well dusted hands.
- Close the mochi ends at the top with your well dusted finger and shape it into a nice round shaped daifuku mochi.
- Repeat the above process for the remaining mochi and anko sweet red bean paste.
Notes
Nutrition
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Do I have to cook the potatoes or corn starch by putting it in the oven to bake for dusting?
No Lee Li. You don’t have to cook.
Hello!
After microwaving and stirring the dough the first time, it turned out very lumpy. The dough along the edges of the bowl had turned transculent, but not the middle. What can I change to improve? I could only find glutinous rice flour.
Hi Weia, You need to cook cook more in microwave until most of the dough turned translucent. All microwave are different so you need to find timing of your own.
I don’t have a microwave at home. Can I cook the rice flour mixture on the stove please?
Hi Angel, Yes you can steam it:D
Hello can i use corn starch instead of potato starch??
Hi as long as it does not make the mochi sticky, yes.
yummm I love mochi, I made this and it turned out so cute! thank you for the recipe
Hi Libby, You are welcome. Thank you for making the recipe and 5 star rating 😀
hi Shihoko-san…
Really love your recipe of your mochi! So soft and chewy! Made the Tokyo style strawberry mochi and fell in love with it!! Definitely a keeper! Thank you so much!
Hi Kammy san Thank you so much the comment and 5 star rating 😀