Japanese Mochi Ice Cream Recipe

Name: Japanese Mochi Ice Cream
Prep time: 60 min
Cook time: 4 min
Total time: 64 min
Ingredients: 12 scoops ice cream (matcha or flavour of choice); 1.5 cups glutinous rice flour; 3 tbsp icing sugar; 1.5 cups hot boiling water; Cornstarch ( for dusting)

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Japanese Mochi Ice Cream. Chewy on the outside, soft and creamy on the inside. Perfect for dessert on a warm day! These mochi ice cream balls are made with 5 ingredients and can be dairy-free and vegan if you buy dairy-free ice cream.

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Japanese Mochi Donuts
Glutinous Rice Balls (Tang Yuan)
Hawaiian Butter Mochi
Rose Pandan Coconut Sago
Strawberry Coconut Cream Sandwich
Japanese Souffle Pancakes

I love Mochi Ice Cream! They are one of my all time favourite desserts in the world. I just adore the texture of the chewy rice wrapper about the soft creamy ball of ice cream. There are also multiple mochi fillings from matcha ice cream to strawberry to vanilla or chocolate!

Japanese Mochi Ice Cream is a dessert that has been around for ages and one that I've always wanted to make but was too intimidated by. But it really wasn't too challenging. I can't say it was easy because then I'd be lying.

I think the most hardest part was sealing the wrapper around the ball of ice cream before it melts. However if you follow my tips and recipe carefully, you should be fine! Please don't let the above frighten you from making them. I share step by step pictures on how to make ice cream mochi.

I know there are many mochi ice cream recipes online but this one only contains 5 ingredients! So do check it out and let me know if it works for you!

For this Recipe

You will need the following mochi ice cream ingredients:

12 scoops matcha ice cream
1.5 cups glutinous rice flour *it must be glutinous rice flour, not rice flour as rice flour is not sticky enough and you won't be able to achieve the same results*
3 tablespoon icing sugar
1.5 cups hot boiling water
Cornstarch for dusting your work surface

How to Make Mochi Ice Cream

The night before:

Scoop your ice cream using an ice cream scoop and pack it into the scoop. Scrape off any excess ice cream on the top and release the ice cream ball into a silicone muffin cup. The bottom of the ball should be flat.

On the day of:

In a microwaveable bowl, whisk the dry ingredients together and then make a well in the middle of your flour. Then pour the hot boiling water. Whisk until combined. Then use a spatula and scrape down the side of the bowl.

Cover with cling film and microwave for 4 minutes. The cling film will stick to the dough ball but that's ok. Remove the cling film. Allow the dough to cool and rest.

Dust your surface and your dough ball very well with cornstarch. Roll out the dough into a thin rectangle.

Use a round cookie cutter to cut 11-12 cm wide circular wrappers. You will have to knead the dough again and roll it out again to create more wrappers.

Brush the excess cornstarch off your wrappers. This is important to keep the wrapper sticky when you seal them later.

Lay your wrappers in between cling film and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.

When ready, lay your wrapper on the same piece of cling film. Then add your frozen ice cream in the middle.

Fold the wrapper upwards and pinch the edges up to seal them. Then fold up the cling film and twist it together until it's sealed.

Freeze your mochi's in a sealed container overnight before consuming. To enjoy: remove from the freezer as they will be rock hard and then let it sit at room temperature for 5 -7 minutes until a bit softer.

Enjoy your homemade mochi ice cream!

Tips for Making the Mochi Ice Cream

Scoop your ice cream using an ice cream scoop and press it firm into the scoop
Flatten your ice cream balls so the base is completely flat using a knife
Scoop your ice cream balls into silicone muffin cups or cling film. Something that you can easily peel away from. This will come in handy and prevents the heat of your fingers from touching the ice cream when you wrap it
Freeze the ice cream balls for at least 4 hours uncovered or overnight in a sealed container. But no more than 2 days or it'll freezer burn
The dough is actually very easy to make. But I HIGHLY recommend kneading it on a WELL-FLOURED SMOOTH surface. It's important. This dough ball is very sticky so if you don't coat it in enough corn starch, it'll stick everywhere making it a very challenging process.
Use a heavy weight rolling pin and roll out your dough thinly.
Use a 11-12 cm in diameter round cookie cutter or a traditional rice bowl if you have one.
Refrigerate your wrappers for 30 minutes to ensure they've cooled down so when you wrap your ice cream it won't melt the ice cream
When wrapping you must work quickly or the ice cream will melt
When wrapping pull the wrapper up around the ice cream ball and pinch the ends so they wrap up into a little ball. There's no right or wrong way to do this but you do want to seal your ball up so the ice cream can't escape
Use cling film to wrap your mochi ball and twist the ends but don't twist too tightly as it can impact the shape of your ball
Freeze the mochi ice cream balls overnight in an airtight container. Before serving, allow to sit in room temperature for 7-10 minutes to thaw a little until soft. Then enjoy!

I hope these tips were helping in teaching you how to make mochi ice cream!

FAQ

Where can I find glutinous rice flour?

This ingredient can be found at most Asian grocery stores in the flour or dried section aisle. You may also find it online.

Can I use Rice Flour not Glutinous Rice Flour for mochi ice cream?

No it must be glutinous rice flour, not rice flour as rice flour is not sticky enough and you won't be able to achieve the same results.

What is Japanese mochi ice cream?

It is ice cream that is frozen solid and wrapped in a delicious soft chewy mochi dough that is slightly powdered. When defrosted a bit, the contrast of the ice cream against the chewy soft dough is so delicious!

What is mochi ice cream made of?

I It's ice cream wrapped in a soft chewy dough made of glutinous rice flour.

Give it a try!

Well I hope you give my Japanese Mochi Ice Cream recipe a try! It always excites me when you guys make my recipes and I hope this is one you try.

Thanks for visiting my blog! If you enjoyed this mochi ice cream recipe, please share it with your family and friends or on social media! Take a picture if you've made my recipe and tag me on Instagram @christieathome in your feed or stories so I can share your creation in my stories with credits to you!

Made this recipe and loved it?

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Take care,
Christie

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