Butter Mochi from Aloha Kitchen Cookbook

Before Aloha Kitchen became a cookbook, I was fortunate enough to have taste-tested Alana Kysar’s recipes first-hand. We met at work several years ago and became fast friends after submitting entries into a baking contest. (She won first place.) She lived near me, and one day, she brought over cute boxes of Mochiko Chicken and Butter Mochi. I intended on splitting them over the course of two meals but, as soon as I started eating, I could not stop. It was all so homey and wonderful. I’m so glad she put everything into print so I can re-create these dishes whenever I’m craving Hawaiian food.

The butter mochi recipe is easy to prepare and is pretty forgiving. There’s no need for special equipment. Put the ingredients into a bowl, stir and bake. If you bake a little longer, it doesn’t affect the texture too much. Although, Alana will say that she prefers a shorter bake so the texture stays more custard-y. I put some of my notes at the end of the recipe.

*This post uses affiliate links.

Butter Mochi
From Alana Kysar’s Aloha Kitchen Cookbook

Ingredients:
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups skim milk
One 1-pound box mochiko sweet rice flour or glutinous rice flour (see notes at bottom)
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
One 13 1/2-ounce can coconut milk
1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
A few pinches of flaky salt (optional)

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9 by 13-inch baking pan with butter or oil.

In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, vanilla, and milk. In another large bowl, whisk together the mochiko, sugar, baking powder and kosher salt. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and, with a wooden spoon, stir until well combined. Add the melted butter and coconut milk and mix until fully incorporated. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and rap the pan on the counter a couple of times to bring any air bubbles to the surface. Evenly sprinkle the shredded coconut on top of the mixture, a handful at a time, being careful not to jiggle the pan too much, as you want the coconut to stay on the top. Then sprinkle on a few pinches of flaky salt, if desired.

Bake until the mochi is set and golden brown on top, about 1 hour. Set the pan on a wire rack and let cool completely before slicing into rectangles using a plastic knife to minimize sticking; I cut four columns and five rows to make twenty 2 1/4 by 2 1/2-inch pieces. If the knife seems to be sticking, rub it with a little unsalted butter or neutral oil. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Reprinted with permission from Aloha Kitchen Cookbook, copyright by Alana Kysar, 2019. Published by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of Crown Publishing Group. Photograph copyright © 2019 Alana Kysar.

Jenn Yee’s Notes:

• If you use a lighter colored baking pan the edges won’t get dark too quickly.
• My first time making this, I used a different brand of flour. It took longer to bake but the flavor and texture was still great. Just make sure you’re using a sweet or glutinous rice flour. The plain rice flour will have a different consistency.
• The recipe calls for switching from a whisk to a wooden spoon to prevent incorporating too much air into the batter. When I baked mine, it puffed considerably and I had to poke it to let the air escape.
• It says the flaky salt is optional but I LOVED that salty bite. I would not skip it.

If you make this dish, share it with me on Instagram @pastrywithjenn!