Chocolate Topped Butter Mochi Bars

 Just a fair warning.  These are not low calorie, diet or fat-free munchies.  They are over the top with butter, evaporated milk, coconut cream, and sugar.  Then there is the chocolate on top.  Think Mochi on steroids.  Or, Indo-European take on dessert austerity.  Though I do really like plain mochi, and in various flavors (with exception noted below).  These are just another level up.  Anyway, as Ruhlman says, it isn't fat that makes you fat.  It's eating too much.

The exception.  I do not look on beans as a prospect for dessert.  Not when there are so many other tempting things out there, chocolate aside.  Strawberries, mangoes, pineapples, apples, oranges, etc. etc. etc. and nuts.  Just think of all the possibilities.  Beans and rice, pork and beans, beans in tortillas with cheese, or in Cassoulet, okay.  I'm fine with that.  Probably just upbringing.  But, still...

And, the only pounding we did was on those little blocks of chocolate before sprinkling it on top of the hot, almost finished mochi bars.  That was the easy way.  Probably next time I will melt the chocolate and pour on top when the baking is completely finished.  Just for aesthetic reasons.  It didn't alter the fabulous taste.

Chocolate Topped Butter Mochi

Adapted from Ono Kine Grindz

1 stick unsalted butter, melted
1 1/2 cups superfine sugar
1 box (16 oz.) mochiko flour (sweet rice flour)
1 can (12 oz.) evaporated milk + 1/2 cup water
1 can (13.5 oz.) coconut milk
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 squares semi-sweet chocolate, chopped or melted

You can use up to 2 1/4 cups sugar without increasing the volume of the liquid ingredients.  If you want it really sweet.  It was perfect as is, in my book anyway.  Also if you don't want coconut, just up the evaporated milk to 2 cans and increase water to 3/4 cup.

Preheat oven to 350F.

Melt your butter, then add the sugar and mix well, add the vanilla, then the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition until well incorporated.  Stir in the mochiko flour (be careful, it will have a tendency to blow everywhere) and baking powder and mix well.

Combine the evaporated milk and water in a separate bowl, whisking to blend.  Add to the rice flour mixture in two parts, mixing well between additions.  Now add in the coconut milk, whisking until blended.

Pour mixture into a buttered 9" x 13" pan (I used two glass ones, 8 x 8 and 7 x 11) and bake for about one hour (I had two pans so it was about 50-55 minutes) at 350 F.   It should be a bit browned on the edges.

While it is baking, either chop for sprinkling on top, or melt your chocolate in a double-boiler pan or in a microwave.  Pour on melted chocolate and set on racks to cool completely.  As I mentioned, I (my Sous Chef actually) broke up the chocolate with a pestle, then we sprinkled it on the almost done bars, and set back into the oven to melt while they finished baking.   They can also be topped with shredded coconut at that stage.  Or, go all the way and do both.  Cut into bars and serve.

I have to tell you, these little bars were absolutely delicious.  We all had more than we should have. Even though the chocolate sort of resembled a lava field on top.  Hawaiian style.  Meant to be shared, they will go to Chaya at My Meatless Mondays, and to the Hearth and Soul Blog Hop recipe exchanges.