Chewy Desserts

Everyone’s fascinated by the texture of mochi— no wonder new treats are springing up everywhere!

- Monica Michael Willis

Walk the aisles of Walmart, Piggly Wiggly or Trader Joe's and you'll find mochi in all forms: chubby mochi rounds filled with ice cream, mini marshmallow-like rainbow mochi, mochi cake mixes. Mochi is a dense, chewy rice paste first popularized in Japan, and if you haven't encountered it at the supermarket, you've more than likely seen it elsewhere. Mochinut, a mochi doughnut chain with popular pistachio, red velvet and Nutella treats, is expanding across the country, and Mochidoki, a mochi ice cream company, is branching out into grocery stores.

Glutinous rice flour gives mochi sweets their pleasing elasticity, a texture that gained traction with the boom of bubble tea and its gummy tapioca pearls known as boba. "That chewy texture is referred to as QQ, which loosely translates to 'bouncy' in Taiwanese," says Kat Lieu, author of Modern Asian Baking at Home. "It's why boba and mochi are like magic. There are so many colors and flavors, and all that fun chewiness makes you feel like a kid again." Get in on the trend and whip up one of these mochi desserts. 

MOCHI DOUGHNUTS

ACTIVE: 1 hr I TOTAL: 1½ hr I MAKES: 12

1. Heat 2 inches of vegetable oil in a heavy-bottomed pot until a deep-fry thermometer registers 340° to 350°. Whisk together ½ cup each glutinous rice flour and milk in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Microwave 1 minute (it will have a jelly-like consistency). Stir the mixture. If any parts are still liquid, microwave again in 20-to 30-second intervals.