Daifuku: The Best Japanese Dessert!

Daifuku is a small, round mochi filled with sweet red bean paste! It’s a popular Japanese delicacy that pairs with green tea. This sweet sticky rice is wrapped around red bean paste to form soft-as-a-pillow irresistible dessert bites! Keep reading as we take you through the ultimate recipe to make your daifuku!

Daifuku’s Origin

Initially known as quail mochi, daifuku got its name from its shape—it was round and plump. Another name is “belly thick mochi” or “Harabu-to-mochi.” At that time, daifuku was large, and the bean paste was just salted azuki beans!

Around that time, a widow in Edo named Otayo created a little belly rice cake in 1771 and subsequently marketed it as “Otama-mochi” by mixing sugar into bean paste. Later, people changed it to daifuku mochi, meaning “big belly rice cake” and “great luck rice cake.”

People loved it because they believed it would bring them good fortune. In the 18th century, daifuku became quite popular, and people started toasting and eating them. They were also popular gifts at ceremonial gatherings!

What is Daifuku?

Daifuku is a type of wagashi (Japanese sweet) and a popular Japanese dessert. Generally, it has a sweet paste center made of anko (sweet red bean paste) and a pillowy mochi exterior. These undeniably delightful treats come in all colors and flavors, ranging from strawberry to chocolate, with pink, brown, and white surfaces!

Looking to enjoy delicious daifuku from the comfort of your own home? Check out TokyoTreat! TokyoTreat delivers limited-edition Japanese noodles, snacks, drinks, and sweets right to your door so you can enjoy the latest treats directly from Japan!

Daifuku Recipe

This recipe shows how you can make a significantly delicious daifuku at home that will make you crave more!

Ingredients:

• ¾ cup glutinous rice flour such as shiratamako or mochiko (sweet rice flour)
• ¾ cup water
• ¼ cup sugar 
• ½ cup potato starch or cornstarch
• ½ cup anko (sweet red bean paste)

How To Make:

Combine the glutinous rice flour, water, and sugar in a large mixing basin. Microwave for one minute covered loosely with cling wrap. Give it a brief swirl with the spoon, then cover it again and return it to the oven for another minute!

Afterward, dip a spatula in water and set it aside. Then, fold in the mochi after pulling it away from the sides to form a rough dough ball. The consistency should transition from bright white to a more transparent cream and be sticky and elastic!

Place the mochi on a clean, dry surface coated with cornstarch using a wet spatula. Cover it in cornstarch until it is no longer sticky, and shape it into a thick, flat disc. Allow it to cool for a few moments.

Roll the red bean paste into a ball and continue until you have eight mochi-wrapped balls. Divide the cooled mochi dough into eight pieces with a knife or dough cutter (pop a bit of cornstarch on to avoid sticking)!

Before grabbing the first piece of mochi, coat your fingertips in cornstarch. Flatten and shape into a disc with a diameter of 10 cm (2 inches). Wrap the mochi dough around a red bean paste ball in the center. Pull the edges up and into the center, then squeeze them together!

Finally, repeat with the remaining dough and bean paste, seam side down. Serve immediately and enjoy! Make careful to consume it on the same day!

Make the Most out of your Daifuku

This dish is best served as the concluding course of a Japanese meal, followed by okonomiyaki, yakisoba noodles, or green tea ice cream! Undoubtedly, daifuku mochi should be stored in an airtight container in a cool, dry place. All things considered, it’s if consumed within 24 hours!

If possible, keep it out of the fridge for the best flavor. They can be stored in the refrigerator during the hot summer, but the container must be wrapped in a thick kitchen towel to prevent the mochi from hardening!

To emphasize, if you’re freezing the mochi, sprinkle it with additional corn starch to prevent sticking, and store it in a zip-lock bag. Eat within a month of freezing for the most fantastic flavor! In any event, you have two alternatives for defrosting frozen foods: leave them on the counter for about an hour or microwave them briefly!

Daifuku mochi may be the most famous option for a sweet treat. Still, there are plenty of other delicious choices, ranging from ice cream to strawberries covered in red bean paste to peanut butter and banana!

Daifuku has a delicious filling wrapped in dough made of sticky rice flour. Because it’s soft, sweet, and slightly chewy, daifuku is frequently served in Japan and has always been a favorite. Japanese daifuku mochi is so well-liked that it has even spread to other countries. You can now find it at many restaurants or even make it yourself!

Have you tried making daifuku before? Do you have a favorite filling? Let us know in the comments below!