Daifuku

A Chinese Take on Japanese Mochi

Daifuku is an authentic Japanese confection that has become popular in Guangdong in recent years as a dim sum snack. The outer skin of Daifuku is soft and powdery, resembling a smooth covering of snow. The glimmer of fruit filling faintly comes through this creamy exterior, like an elegant, blushing lady. With its mellow cream flavor and sweet and sour fruit filling, Daifuku are exceptionally delicious.

Ingredients

3/4 cup (120 grams) glutinous rice flour
1/4 cup (30 grams) corn flour
1/2 cup (120 grams) light cream
3/4 cup (180 milliliters) whole milk
appropriate amount of strawberries to your taste

Seasonings

3 ¼ tablespoons (40 grams) white sugar
2 teaspoons (10 milliliters) olive oil

Please see measurements in grams to be more exact for all ingredients and seasonings.

Cooking Directions

Preparations

Wash and chop strawberries.

Add a little more than 2 tablespoons of glutinous rice flour to center of pot. Stir-fry for approximately 2 minutes on low heat until it becomes hot.

How to make sweet Daifuku dough

Add milk to a large bowl. Add white sugar. Add to pot separate from water and heat it up while stirring constantly. Once sugar has dissolved, remove from pot. Add to corn flour and the remaining amount of glutinous rice flour. Stir together until it forms a syrup.

Place syrup in steamer pot. While separate from water, use high heat to steam for approximately 15 minutes. After removing, add olive oil while it is still hot. Knead into a dough with a smooth surface. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for approximately 15 minutes

How to make Daifuku skins

Apply a bit fried glutinous rice flour to your hands. Divide dough into pieces of equal size. Also apply a bit of fried glutinous rice flour to surface of the pieces. Use roller to press into flat, circular shapes.

Tip: Steamed glutinous rice dough has a relatively sticky texture. Using fried glutinous rice flour will ensure that it doesn't stick to your hands.

How to assemble a Daifuku

After whipping the light cream, place in pastry bag. Squeeze out an appropriate amount of cream into the center of the dough skin, then add a bit of chopped strawberries, followed by another layer of cream. Use your palms and the area between your index finger and thumb to bring up the edges of the dough skin, gradually close it up. Squeeze it closed tightly and place in a tinfoil wrap. Refrigerate for approximately 1/2 hour, then serve.

Tips from Cantonese Master Chefs

According to taste, you may substitute the strawberries for a softer fruit, such as durian, mango, or kiwi.

The Origin of Cantonese Daifuku

In the winter of 1771 during the Edo period, there was a pastry chef named Otayo who lived a rough life near Koishikawa in modern-day Tokyo. Often, just to survive she would have to walk the streets during cold winter nights selling oven-warmed red bean yam cakes.

These cakes she made had thin skin with lots of filling. Wrapped up in a spherical shape, they resembled quail bellies, so people called them "big belly cakes". At that time, most pastry sellers in Edo sold cakes with savory or salty fillings. Otayo's "big belly cakes", with their sweet red bean filling, became very popular all over the city. Because the characters for "belly" and "luck" are the same in Japanese (fuku), the cakes became known as "great luck cakes" – Daifuku.

Cantonese Daifuku look similar to strawberry Daifuku, but there are actually many differences. Cantonese Daifuku has a thinner dough skin, and the filling is refreshing, exquisite cream. When eaten together with the various fruit Daifuku, it provides an instantaneous change of flavors. Often, people who try these unforgettable treats fall in love with them at first bite.