Cherry Blossom Rice Cake 桜餅
User Reviews
5
Cherry Blossom Rice Cake 桜餅
Description
To make Sakura Mochi, glutinous rice is soaked overnight, lightly ground to alter texture, then steamed for about 30 minutes until tender yet cohesive. Beetroot juice or natural coloring is added to the rice mixture to give a subtle pink color reminiscent of cherry blossoms. The rice cakes are shaped using gelatin-containing syrup to seal the form.
Salted cherry blossom flowers and leaves are soaked to reduce saltiness, then dried. Each mochi cake is assembled by wrapping the pink rice around red bean paste balls, then enveloping it in a salted cherry blossom leaf, which imparts a uniquely aromatic, slightly salty note that contrasts with the sweet paste and subtly sweetened mochi rice.
These rice cakes have a distinct chewiness from the glutinous rice combined with the smooth red bean paste, making them a classic sakura-season treat often enjoyed with tea. They showcase the floral and seasonal presentation important in Japanese confectionery.
Soaking the rice thoroughly and preparing the anko (red bean paste) in advance ensures proper texture and flavor balance. Salted cherry blossom parts are separately handled and contribute to the authentic experience.
Ingredients
mochi
- 1 cup glutinous rice *1
- ½ cup water or 100ml
- ¼ cup sugar or 50g
- 1 tsp beetroot 2, juice
Sugar syrup for shaping mochi
- ½ tsp gelatin Or 1/2 gelatine leaf 1.2 x 1.2 inch (3cm x 3cm, leaf form
- ¼ cup water
- ⅛ cup sugar
Assembling Sakura Mochi
- 3 sakura flower buds salted
- 3 sakura leaves salted
Instructions
Steaming the Rice
- Wash and soak the rice in 2 cups of water (not listed in the ingredients list) overnight. *3
- Also if you are going to make Anko from scratch, make anko paste the night before too. *4
- After the rice is soaked overnight, drain the rice and pulse the rice a few times in a food processor.
- Steam the rice for 30 minutes over medium heat. *5
While the rice is being steamed prepare the sakura flower, leaves, pink coloured water, and syrup
- Soak the sakura flower and leaves in a bowl of water for 30 minutes. *6
- Scoop the flower onto a paper towel and tap dry with paper towel and set aside.
- Divide the anko (red bean paste) into 6 balls (20g each) and set aside.
- Place the water and sugar in a saucepan. Bring it to boil to dissolve the sugar. Add the beetroot juice and stir. Transfer the sugar water to a large bowl and set aside.
- Make the sugar syrup for shaping by putting all the ingredients in a saucepan and bring it to simmer. When the gelatine has dissolved, turn the heat off.
Assembling the Sakura mochi
- Add the steamed rice to the large bowl with pink colored sugary water. Stir the rice with a wooden spatula to let the rice absorb the pink coloured sugar water.
- Divide the rice into six equal portions.
- Brush some plastic wrap sheet with the sugar syrup and place 1/6 of steamed rice and flatten the rice with a spatula.
- Place a red bean paste ball in the centre. Wrap it with cling wrap to shape it and cover the red bean paste ball with rice.
- Remove the plastic wrap and wrap with a sakura leaf with the vein side out (so it's visible on the outside)
- Repeat the same for the rest. Three wrapping with sakura leaves and three decorated with the sakura flowers on top.
Notes
- Use 1 US cup (about 200g) glutinous rice and soak overnight for best texture.
- Beetroot juice or natural red coloring provides the signature sakura pink color.
- Salted cherry blossom flowers and leaves must be soaked in water for 30 minutes before use to reduce saltiness.
- Anko (red bean paste) should be prepared or purchased ahead; divide into 20g balls for assembly.
- Steaming the rice for about 30 minutes ensures soft but sticky texture needed for mochi.
- The sugar syrup with gelatin helps maintain shape when molding the mochi cakes.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 6mochi
Amount Per Serving
Calories 173 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 173kcal | 9% |
| Carbohydrates | 40g | 13% |
| Protein | 3g | 6% |
| Fat | 1g | 2% |
| Saturated Fat | 1g | 5% |
| Sodium | 5mg | 0% |
| Potassium | 26mg | 1% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 12g | 24% |
| Calcium | 4mg | 0% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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