Table of Contents
There are a whole bunch of もち or 求肥 doughs: Conceptionally, a true もち is just もち粉 and water. Once you add sugar, you're in 求肥 (= sweetened もち) country. The sugar adds softness and and stretch, and is used for wrapping things.
Classic 求肥
- 125 gr 白玉粉
- 250 gr water
- 250 gr sugar
➡️ This is good for 花弁餅 etc. It's easy to stretch thin and slightly translucent.
Low sugar 求肥
- 60 gr もち粉 (or 白玉粉)
- 70 gr water
- 45 gr sugar
➡️ This is easier to shape, so I think it's nicer for things like うぐいす餅. The above recipe is for about 6 wrapped もち.
Preparation
- In either case, mix all in pot and let stand a bit, then heat and stir until it's sticky. This doesn't take too long, maybe 3'. I've seen one recipe that then continues to add glucose syrup, but it works well without.
- Add colourings after cooking, if needed (beet juice, for example, or 抹茶)
- Scoop onto potato starch (or other kind of flour, such as きな粉), fold over and wait some 5' a bit to cool down. This is important, the 求肥 will firm up considerably when cooler and will be much more coöperative.
- Can be frozen, wrapped airtight in cladwrap.
Mixed flour 求肥
By adding non-glutinous rice flour, this is much firmer than the above. It's used, example, in 草餅.
- 50 gr 白玉粉
- 100 gr water
- 86 gr sugar
- 50 gr 上新粉
➡️ Mix, then add flavouring (such as fresh, blanched, blended よもぎ), steam in wet cloth for 20'. Knead.
Uses
- Used in the 花弁餅 at New Year's and 八ツ橋 (mixed with cinnamon, for example)
- For any stuffed 餅 such as the うぐいす
- You also a small portion to the 練り切り dough!
- It's also served just on its own. That I find a bit bland, but: blend some 10% trail mix into it, pour into a 流し器 lined with a baking sheet, freeze and cut into squares. That makes for a surprisingly compelling nibble!
