Adzuki Mochi Cake Recipes

Steps:

• Wrap red bean paste in aluminum foil and place in the freezer for at least 3 hours. Mix sweet rice flour and green tea powder thoroughly in a microwave-safe glass or ceramic bowl. Stir in water, then sugar. Mix until smooth. Cover bowl with plastic wrap.
• Cook the rice flour mixture in the microwave for 3 minutes and 30 seconds. Meanwhile, remove red bean paste from the freezer and divide paste into 8 equal balls. Set aside. Stir rice flour mixture and heat for another 15 to 30 seconds.
• Dust work surface with cornstarch. While the mochi is still hot from the microwave, begin rolling balls the size of about 2 tablespoons. Flatten the mochi ball and place 1 frozen red bean paste ball in the center. Pinch the mochi over the red bean paste until the paste is completely covered. Sprinkle with additional cornstarch and place mochi seam side down in a paper muffin liner to prevent sticking. Repeat until all the mochi and red bean paste is used.

Steps:

• Make the filling: Rinse the beans and transfer to a large pot. Cover the beans with water and bring to a boil; drain. Cover the beans again with water and this time simmer until they are completely tender, about an hour to an hour and a half, adding more water if necessary to keep the beans submerged. Drain.
• Purée the drained beans in a food processor or blender to make a smooth paste. If the beans are too dry to catch the blades, add a few tablespoons of water. Return the bean purée to the same pot and stir in the sugar and salt. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until most of the water has evaporated and the purée is very thick, 10 to 15 minutes. Spread bean paste in a wide, shallow container and refrigerate until firm and cool.
• Meanwhile, make the mochi dough: Line a sheet pan with a piece of parchment paper and spread a generous heap of potato starch in a large circle; set aside. In a bowl, whisk together the mochiko flour and 1 1/3 cup/300 milliliters water until smooth. Pour mixture through a mesh strainer into a saucepan, using the whisk to help push it through if necessary. Add the sugar and mix well. Switch to a heatproof spatula and cook the mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens and comes together as one big, smooth, shiny mass that can hold its shape, 5 to 7 minutes.
• Using a starch-dusted knife, cut the dough into 20 even pieces. (If eating plain, or as an ice cream topping, cut into 40 to 50 smaller pieces.) One at a time, use a rolling pin to roll a piece of mochi dough into a thick, flat disk about 2 inches by 2 inches. Use potato starch liberally to keep the dough from sticking to your work surface, the rolling pin or your fingers. Roll a scant tablespoon of bean paste between your hands to form a ball and place it in the center of the rolled-out dough piece. Use your fingers to evenly stretch the mochi dough up and around the filling without squishing it, pinching the dough shut at the top to seal it, and then gently rolling the mochi between your hands to form a rounded shape. Set on the parchment-lined baking sheet with the seam on the bottom. Eat the filled mochi the day they're made, or cover and store in the refrigerator for 1 day.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Generously butter a 9"-diameter cake pan or an 8x8" baking pan or 14 cups of two standard 12-cup muffin pans. (If you only have 1 muffin pan, you can bake the extra batter in a small loaf pan or mini muffin pan, or just discard it.) Generously coat pan with sugar, tapping out excess (about ¼ cup should do it).
• Place 1½ cups (300 g) sugar and 6 Tbsp. butter in a large bowl. If using coconut milk, heat in a small saucepan over medium, whisking constantly, until no clumps remain, then whisk into sugar mixture. If using half-and-half, whisk directly into sugar mixture. Add eggs, vanilla, and salt and whisk to combine.
• Whisk rice flour, powdered flavoring of choice (or 3 Tbsp. more rice flour), spice of choice, and baking powder in a medium bowl to combine, then whisk into egg mixture. Scrape batter into prepared pan and sprinkle with coconut or sesame seeds.
• Bake until top begins to crack and cake springs back when gently pressed, 55-65 minutes for cake and 45-55 minutes for cupcakes. Transfer pan to a wire rack and let cake cool in pan 10 minutes. Run a knife around perimeter of cake, place a plate over pan, and invert cake onto plate. Hold wire rack over cake and invert cake onto rack (simply turn cupcakes out onto rack and turn over). Let cool completely.
• Do ahead: Cake can be baked 5 days ahead. Store tightly wrapped at room temperature.

Steps:

• Stir the golden syrup together with 3 tablespoons of peanut oil in a small saucepan over low heat until the mixture becomes very warm, and the syrup is easy to stir, about 3 minutes. Meanwhile, whisk together the cake flour, baking soda, and salt in a mixing bowl. Stir in the golden syrup until a smooth dough forms. Wrap well with plastic wrap; refrigerate at least 4 hours.
• Meanwhile, combine the adzuki beans and water in a large saucepan over high heat. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the beans are tender, about 1 hour. Drain and allow to cool for 10 minutes. Puree the beans in a blender or food processor.
• Heat 1/4 cup of peanut oil over medium heat in the saucepan the beans were boiled in. Stir in the pureed beans along with the white sugar. Cook and stir until the bean paste clings to the stirring spoon, 10 to 20 minutes. Stir in the wheat starch. Scrape into a mixing bowl. Chill in the refrigerator until cold.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease a baking sheet.
• Divide the dough and the filling each into 8 equal portions and roll into balls. Press the dough balls between your palms to form circles large enough to envelop a filling ball. Place a ball of the filling onto the center of each pastry circle, wrap the pastry around the filling, and pinch the edges together. Roll the mooncakes in the all-purpose flour to coat; shake off excess. Place the mooncakes seam-side-down onto the prepared baking sheet and press to flatten slightly.
• Mist lightly with water. Bake in the preheated oven for 8 minutes. Remove the mooncakes from the oven and reduce the oven temperature to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C).
• Brush with the beaten egg yolk, applying more of the yolk to to tops than to the sides. Return to the oven and bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes more. Cool completely before serving.