Happy Thanksgiving, Liliko'i Butter Mochi!!

Some of you might wonder, why is she posting about Mochi on Thanksgiving?  Well, no special reason, it's just what I decided to make for dessert on this special day.  Luckily my daughter brought cheesecake, so there was  a choice. If you've (likely) never tried it before, mochi is more confection than cake.  Similar consistency to Applets and Cotlets, or nougat, and popular here in Hawaii.  I was going through my box of clipped recipes, which hardly ever gets looked at nowadays, since the computer recipe file I keep, and ended up online, with this one from the Executive chef at the Sheraton Princess Kaiulani, Ralf Bauer, originally clipped from our local airline magazine.

Truthfully, I did try my best to restrain fiddling impulses, but was not successful.  From 3 cups of sugar we went down to 2, and it was just right.  More would be too sweet, for me at least.  Also upped the amount of passion fruit juice from 3 tablespoons to 1/2 cup, also turned out good.  If you're going for liliko'i, otherwise known as passion fruit, let's taste it!  And, speaking of changes, the coconut milk called for was 12 oz.  Now where we live, the cans are 13.66 oz. for some odd reason, and that's what went into my mochi.  Would you throw the extra out?  Or I guess it could have gone into my cocoa drink, but hey, one of those spur of the moment choices we make.  You could do your own fiddling, and I might in future, perhaps orange juice for orange mochi, espresso for coco mocha mochi, or cranberry?  You get the picture.

All in all, excellent choices.  About 5:00 pm yesterday, I was about to sit down, for a much deserved rest with a glass of white, and have a test sample along with.  Just a taste.  From the sort of over-crisped edge.  And ended up eating one after another, right along that edge.  Not at all bad, quite good in fact.

Don't expect strict authenticity here.  Mochi is a traditional Japanese New Year's treat, a Shinto omen of good fortune, and should be steamed, not baked, in little balls or spheres preferably.  Also, it wouldn't have eggs, butter, coconut milk or baking powder.  Not to mention liliko'i juice.  Just saying.  I'm posting the recipe with my adaptations.

Liliko'i Butter Mochi

1 lb. mochi flour (I ordered organic online)
2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 cup butter, melted
4 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 can coconut milk (12 oz. +)
1/2 cup passion fruit juice

Mix all ingredients together, and bake at 350F for 45 minutes to 1 hr. in a 10x14 inch pan.  Check if it's getting too brown around the edges (mine did so I was forced to eat  it all :)

Let cool slightly.  While still warm you may glaze with a mixture of 2 tablespoons liliko'i juice and 2 cups of powdered sugar.  I didn't.  If you serve later, you may reheat in the microwave and then glaze if desired.  Chef recommends cutting with a plastic knife to prevent sticking.  I tried both and didn't have a problem.

A very moreish sort of treat.  I'll be sharing with everyone over at Beth Fish Reads for her Weekend Cooking event  Drop by and check out some good cooking, restaurant food, etc.  Or jump right in with your own food related post.