Homemade Ice Cream Mochi

My Asian family has always celebrated the holidays with our own traditions. For example, we substitute turkey on Thanksgiving with chicken and hot chocolate with tea. However, on Lunar New Year, the adults love enjoying the traditional foods made in a specific traditional way. They often eat fish, rice cakes, and items with deep traditional meanings and history. However, in contrast, my siblings who have grown up in America, seem to dislike the holiday specifically because of the food. Thus, instead of eating mooncakes as dessert, we would make ice cream mochi instead. Not only did we grow closer to each other in the process of making the mochi each year, but we have also perfected the delicious recipe for others to try.

Ingredients:

As much ice cream as you want

½ cup of whole milk

⅓ cup of cane sugar

½ tsp of vanilla extract

1 tsp coconut oil

½ of sweet rice flour

Food coloring (optional)

Cornstarch

Non-stick pan (preferable)

Instructions:

1. Use a spoon to create little balls of ice cream and place them into the freezer for a few hours to harden

2. Simmer ½ cup of whole milk, ⅓ cup of cane sugar, ½ tsp of vanilla extract, 1 tsp coconut oil, ½ of sweet rice flour, and food coloring (optional) in a non-stick pan (preferably)

3. Then increase the heat to medium once the mixture starts getting thick and gloopy

4. The mixture should be done after it turns into a doughy and chewy texture

5. Dust your surface and hands with cornstarch to avoid stickiness

6. Separate the dough into little balls and flatten them out (this will be the mochi base of the ice cream mochi)

7. Then take out the ice cream in the freezer and put each ice cream ball into the center of the dough (the trick is to do this step quickly before it melts!)

8. Fold the mochi to cover the ice cream and cut off excess mochi if needed

9. That is it! Enjoy your ice cream mochi and happy holidays!