Fruit Daifuku is a Japanes Mochi dessert, Fruit, like strawberry, is wrapped in Anko sweet bean paste, then in Mochi rice cake. Fruit Daifuku is not a very traditional sweet, but it’s been around for a few decades now, and it is one of the most popular items at Wagashi Japanese sweet shops.
Ichigo Daifuku, strawberry inside, may be the most famous kind of Fruit Daifuku of all, and it is sold in any Wagashi shops today when strawberries are in season. When or where Ichigo Daifuku was invented is unclear, but it became well known and widespread in the 1980s. Since then, many variations were created, such as with different sweet bean pastes, different fruits, and different flavored Mochi. Some even have whipped cream inside. Anko sweet bean paste used for Fruit Daifuku could be red or white. Tsubuan, Anko with whole red beans, is sweet and hearty, and white Anko is smooth and more sophisticated. So depending on what kind of sweetness and texture you want, the style and preparation of Anko can be adjusted.
We used Shiro Anko, sweet white bean paste, to achieve a smoother more refreshing taste. Strawberries after all may be the best choice, flavor-wise and ease-of-handling-wise. However, many other fruits like oranges, melons and grapes are good too. If you’re using more watery fruits, carefully remove moisture from the surface as much as possible to be able to wrap with Anko and Mochi. Also, the firmness of Anko should be harder to be able to handle extra juice. Please read the instructions of our Shiro Anko well when using other fruit.
It is some work to make Fruit Daifuku, but you will love the result. Sweet and tart, chewy and juicy. It is just delicious. Enjoy finding good flavor matches with different fruits and Anko pastes!
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Fruit Daifuku Mochi Recipe
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Ingredients
- Strawberries and other fruits of your choice
- 1 recipe of Shiro Anko
Sweet Mochi
- 1 cup Mochiko
- 3/4 cup water 180ml
- 1-2 cups sugar 200-400g
- Katakuriko potato starch
Instructions
- Prepare Shiro Anko in advance (preferably a day ahead and chill in the fridge). Roll into heaping table spoon size balls.
- Prepare fruits. Choose fruits which are not too watery or remove moisture from the surface very well. Cut fruit into 1″-1 1/2″ balls or cubes.
- Flatten an Anko ball, put one piece of fruit in the middle, and wrap so the fruit is covered completely by Anko. Repeat for the rest of the cut fruit. Set aside.
- Mix Mochiko and water in a glass (or other heat proof) bowl and mix well. Add some more water if it’s too dry, 1 Tbsp at a time.
- Steam the Mochiko dough (leaving the dough in the bowl) in a steamer for 20 minutes.
- Transfer the steamed Mochi from the bowl into a pot and cook at medium to medium-low heat with 1/3 of the sugar (2/3 cup when using 2 cups of sugar total), stirring occasionally. When the sugar is completely dissolved, add another 1/3 of the sugar and mix well. Add the last part of the sugar and cook some more until the sugar is dissolved. Take the time to melt the sugar, but be careful not to burn it.
- Take the hot Mochi out from the pot onto a sheet pan liberally dusted with Katakuriko.
- While Mochi is still warm, stretch it to at least 9″x12″, and cut into 3″ squares.
- Take an Anko wrapped fruit, place it on a Mochi square, and pinch the ends to close around the Anko. Shape into a nice ball with the pinched ends at the bottom. Repeat.
Video
