Mochi—smooth and pillowy and cotton ball-light—needn't be messed with. But if you had to—let's say it's summer and a billion degrees outside and you wish your big toe could be submerged in an ice bath at all times—you could combine it with ice cream. And not just combine it with ice cream, but wrap it around the scoops to make a handheld and highly adorable dessert.
You can buy mochi ice cream at Trader Joe's or order it at sushi restaurants or from fancy websites. But you can also make it yourself. And today, that's just what we're doing. Together!
With only two component parts (mochi, ice cream), this dessert is simple enough to conquer at home. (And personally, I do everything in my power to avoid the Trader Joe's lines in New York City.)
Because the mochi needs to engulf the ice cream scoops, you'll have to contort it—manipulating (and warming, and melting) the ingredients much more than for a typical ice cream sandwich. In summer's heat, it's a bit of a wild pursuit, but not an impossible one. It's fun! And you can choose whatever combination of mochi (matcha, black sesame, vanilla, mint) and ice cream (cookies and cream, strawberry, chocolate) you want.
You'll need to track down sweet glutinous rice flour and your favorite ice cream (store-bought is easier to work with than homemade if you're a first-timer), but once you've got those, you're good to go.
Mochi recipe from Just One Cookbook.
Want to hear more about Japanese cuisine and culture? On our new podcast Counterjam—a show that explores culture through food and music—host Peter J. Kim talks sushi stereotypes and the intergenerational immigrant hustle with comedian Yumi Nagashima, rapper G Yamazawa, and producer Dan the Automator—check out the episode here. —Sarah Jampel
Follow These Tips For Mochi Ice Cream Success:
You'll need to scoop and refreeze the ice cream well in advance of assembly. Portion the ice cream scoops into a mini muffin tin or an egg carton lined with plastic wrap.
You want your mochi to be cool but also super fresh. As mochi sits, it becomes drier and less elastic, which means it'll be more prone to tearing as you try to stretch it around the ice cream scoop. Since mochi-making takes only about 30 minutes from start to finish, I recommend starting that process when the individual ice cream balls are already frozen solid.
As you're making the mochi, be generous with the cornstarch to avoid stickiness. You can always dust it off later! I also recommend sifting the cornstarch to avoid big clumps.
Plastic wrap is here to help. Place each mochi round on a generous piece of plastic wrap, then use the excess to help gather and smush the mochi around the ice cream: You'll be able to belt it all together and then shove it in the freezer—all ice cream leaks will be contained until they refreeze.
And plastic gloves will help, too: They'll protect the ice cream from the warmth of your hands.
If possible, work with one ball of ice cream at a time (and in close proximity to the freezer).
Let your mochi soften a bit at room temp before attempting to slice or bite or serve to friends. The mochi layer needs some time to relax back into its naturally soft state.
Want To Make Your Own Ice Cream, Too?
Plan ahead: If you're making the ice cream for your mochi ice cream (look at you!), make sure you churn and freeze it at least a day or two in advance, so it doesn't melt during assembly. —The Editors
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