Vegan Hawaiian Butter Mochi (V, GF)

If you’ve ever visited Hawaii and been fortunate enough to try butter mochi, you know exactly why this recipe is everything and more. Growing up in Honolulu, my teachers and parents would gift us with butter mochi on rare occasions but they can easily be found at the local markets’ bakery section. Why is butter mochi such an addictive staple in Hawaii? It’s the perfect harmony of sweet satisfaction, chewy texture, and a rich buttery flavor.

Like most of the good things we’ve grown a food-related affinity for, conventional butter mochi isn’t as healthy as it is desirable. I could easily eat a few pieces in one sitting and I always feel sluggish due to the refined sugar and high fat content. Alas, here’s a vegan butter mochi recipe that defies all of those negative after effects.

Although this dessert recipe may be healthier than normal, there are a few things I would like to note here.

The rice flour is irreplaceable but it can be found at many grocery stores by the brands listed below. I used Koda Farms Mochiko (sweet rice flour) which is just the most readily available product I have at my asian market but these others will work as well.

Bob’s Red Mill

Thai rice flour

Chinese glutinous rice flour

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I was able to swap the other ingredients with more natural alternative. Instead of regular white sugar, I used coconut sugar (but my sister, at remiyasui.com, tested this recipe out with monkfruit sweetener and she said it also worked well). Conventional butter mochi uses evaporated or condensed milk but I used full-fat coconut milk as the cream base. REGULAR LITE OR LOW-FAT COCONUT MILK WILL NOT WORK.

While butter is a key player in this treat’s flavor, you can substitute vegan butter instead. Some suggestions I have are Earth Balance or Smart Balance butter, both of which contain less saturated fat and calories but still maintain the butter texture. Coconut oil will also work fine but the flavor may be alter if you opt for this instead.

Lastly, you can skip using eggs and use one of 3 substitutes: vegan egg replacer, aquafaba (the leftover liquid from a can of chickpeas), or flax eggs. Some egg replacers include:

Bob’s Red Mill egg replacer

Ener-G Egg Replacer

A flax egg = 1 tbsp ground flax seed + 3 tbsp water

VEGAN HAWAIIAN BUTTER MOCHI

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INGREDIENTS

  • 2 cups mochiko

  • 1/2 cup coconut sugar, 1/2 cup brown sugar (or you can use any sugar, monkfruit, stevia)

  • 2 cup full-fat coconut milk 

  • 2 tsp vanilla extract 

  • 3 flax eggs or egg replacer

  • 5 tbsp vegan butter (earth balance) 

  • 2 tsp baking powder

  • 1/2 tsp salt 

  • coconut shreds (optional)

DIRECTIONS

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

  2. Create flax egg now if you are using this option. Combine flax meal with water and let it rest for 5 minutes.

  3. In one bowl, combine dry ingredients together (mochiko, sugar, salt, baking powder).

  4. In another bowl, combine wet ingredients (coconut milk, vanilla extract, eggs, butter).

  5. Whisk the wet mix into the dry ingredients gradually until they’re combined well with no bumps.

  6. Line your baking pan with parchment paper or cover in coconut oil to make sure the batter doesn’t stick. You can use a 9x13 pan or an 8x8 pan but the smaller pan will increase the final product’s volume. Top with coconut shreds if desired.

  7. Bake for an hour (check the oven at 50 minutes. The cooking time is dependant on your oven’s power). When it’s done, let it cool before cutting.

healthy dessertsBryn YasuiComment