Friday, April 06, 2007

How ridiculous

How hard can it be to stock up on Mochiko rice flour? I don't get it, I go to the Albertson's in Bellingham, which is a pretty diverse neighborhood as it is, and they don't carry Mochiko Rice Flour?? They used to, and now no more. I'm starting to get really sick of going to a grocery store and finding they don't carry what I consider to be a common food staple! I don't necessarily have time to run to the one and only asian food market in downtown Bellingham, so I have to rely on the grocery stores.

All I can say is, I'm really shocked and rather annoyed that it's not carried anywhere local. Yes, it's at one local grocery store- for an exorbitant amount ($2.19 for a small box? Give me a break!).

I may just ask my mom to pick up some Mochiko and bring it up with her...sheesh!

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Monday, March 26, 2007

Recipe Review: Butter Mochi (Diana's Desserts)


Also known as Sweet Rice Flour and Coconut Cake.

This is a lot like Bibingka, but the difference is it's a bit more dense and rich than the Bibingka I have made previously. I think the addition of coconut milk and eggs is why it's more rich and why the flavoring is a bit more exotic and not quite as doughy as Bibingka is.

It's quite simple to make (at least to me, I find baking rather easy and not too hard) and when you combine the dry and wet ingredients together, it's a thick and creamy batter that is easy to spread in the pan. It looked like any cake would look.

The only thing I'm not too keen on is the coconut on top. I think if I add coconut it'll either be inside the cake or not at all. I think I'm starting to get a little sick of coconut at this point, but it really does give it that exotic flavor that I am so used to.



Here is the recipe:

Ingredients:
3 cups mochiko* (sweet rice flour; 1 lb)
2 1/2 cups organic evaporated cane sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 (14-oz) cans unsweetened coconut milk (not low-fat)
5 large organic eggs
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) organic unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 teaspoon gluten-free vanilla extract

Sweetened shredded coconut, for topping (optional)

Instructions
:
Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350 degrees F/180 degrees C.

Whisk together mochiko, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Whisk together coconut milk, eggs, butter, and vanilla in another bowl. Add coconut mixture to flour mixture, whisking until batter is combined.

Pour batter into an ungreased 9 x 13-inch baking pan, smoothing top, and bake until top is golden and cake begins to pull away from sides of pan, about 1 1/2 hours. Cool cake completely in pan on a rack, about 2 hours. Sprinkle top with shredded coconut, if desired. Cut mochi into 24 squares before serving.

Cooks' note:
Mochi keeps, covered and chilled, 3 days.

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Friday, March 09, 2007

Aha!!! Bibingka cake recipe!

As you know, I have been looking for a Filipino dessert. Thanks to my lovely friend Kate of Escaping Suburbia, her father-in-law is also Filipino and her DH's 92 year-old auntie sent her an email of a recipe of the Bibingka cake recipe I wanted to try. I know this is not exactly what I am looking for but this is what my Nana made at home and it's SOOOOOO good. With a stick of butter though, it's not for the health-concious person!

Babingka:

l box rice flour (Mochiko)

3 cups milk

1 stick butter

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1 cup dried coconut

Mix all together and bake in a 7 X 13 rectangular pan till top splits and edges are browned.

350 degree oven, spray pan first.

How long to cook?

From Kate's MIL: I think it was about 45/50 min. Good luck..... the inside has to be
sticky to the touch.


Diana's Desserts also has a similar recipe with a picture of Sweet Rice Flour & Coconut Cake (Butter Mochi) that I want to try as well. Because this weekend we are having cake for my daughter's birthday party, I will probably only make Kate's MIL's recipe above and save the Diana Desserts one for another time.

I'm drooling at the thought of having some Bibingka!! YUM!

Edited to make some corrections! Sorry!

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