Coconut Butter Mochi

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter or grease a 9x13" metal baking pan.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the mochiko flour, sugar, baking powder, and sea salt.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the whole milk, eggs, and vanilla.
4. Add the milk mixture to the mochiko mixture. Stir well with a spoon or spatula until fully combined and free of lumps. Stir as much as you like, but do not whisk - you don't want to incorporate extra air into the mixture.
5. Add the coconut milk and melted butter, then again stir well until fully combined.
6. Pour mixture into prepared pan. Gently rap pan on the counter a few times to release air bubbles in the mixture.
7. Sprinkle the shredded coconut evenly over the top, followed by a small pinch of coarse salt.
8. Bake mochi in preheated oven for about an hour, or until the top is golden brown.
9. Remove from the oven to a wire rack to cool completely in the pan.
10. Flip mochi out of the pan, then it flip again to turn upright. Slice into pieces. Use a plastic dough scraper (or knife) to prevent sticking. My preference is to cut it into 24 oblong bars (3 by 8).
11. Store at room temperature in an airtight container or individually wrapped for up to 3 days. Alternately, freeze individually wrapped mochi bars for up to 1 month. Serve at room temperature.