Mochi Donuts (Crispy Outside, Chewy Inside Pon de Ring Donuts)

Donut batter

1. In a large mxing bowl combine the dry ingredients, the 150 g mochiko flour, 115 g tapioca starch, 8 g baking powder, and .8 g salt then mix.
2. In a separate large mixing bowl, cream the 75 g white granulated sugar and 24 g vegetable shortening until incorporated. Add 1 large egg and mix thoroughly. Add ⅔ of the milk and stir until combined. Reserve the other 1/3 of the milk to adjust consistency later.
3. Sift HALF the dry ingredients into the liquid bowl. Use a spatula to mix the ingredients. Repeat with the second half of dry ingredients and stir again.
4. Consistency check: The batter should have a “drop batter” consistency. This means that when you lift the batter with a spatula above the bowl, it keeps its overall shape and very slowly drops back into the bowl. And when you stir the batter, it should pull slightly from the sides of the bowl.If your batter is too thick, add some or all of the milk we set aside earlier and mix to combine.
5. Let the batter rest on the counter for 30 minutes so the flour and rest and hydrate.

Piping the dough

1. Cut parchment paper into 3 x 3 inch squares. To make piping easier, create a template of a 2 ½ inch circle on a plain piece of paper and tape it to the table. Make 8 dots evenly spaced on the circle, this will be the spots where you will pipe each ball so that you create an 8-ball ring. Add one piece of parchment over and follow dots with the piping bag.
2. Add a size 808 piping tip into a piping bag. Fill the piping bag with donut dough and squeeze the opening until the dough comes out of the tip.
3. Squeeze out about 1 tsp of dough on each dot on the parchment paper. Use a paring knife or butter knife to slice off the dough from the tip of the piping bag for a clean cut. I like to wipe the knife every time I make a cut. Repeat until you do all 8 dots. At the end, you should have an 8-ring donut and all the balls should connect slightly to each other. Repeat with all the donuts.

Frying the donuts

1. Add at least 2 inches of neutral cooking oil in a heavy bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Preheat the oil to 350 ℉.
2. Carefully lower one parchment paper of donut down into the heated oil. My 3 ½ quart pot can fit two donuts per batch. Do not try to crowd the donuts.
3. After about 30 seconds, use tongs to remove the parchment, it should easily come off. Use a strainer to turn the donut around and gently press the donut into the oil so it’s submerged. Continue to cook for about another 30 seconds to one minute, or until it’s light brown.
4. Use the strainer to transfer the donut onto a paper towel-lined rack over a sheet pan. Repeat with all the donuts.

Glazes

1. Vanilla bean: Combine 120 g powdered sugar, 48 g whole milk, and ½ tsp vanilla bean paste in a bowl with a whisk. The thickness needs to be similar to maple syrup. To make it thicker, add more powdered sugar. To make it thinner, add more milk slowly.
2. Strawberry: Combine 120 g powdered sugar, 32 g whole milk, and 1 tsp strawberry preserves or jam in a bowl with a whisk. The thickness needs to be similar to maple syrup. To make it thicker, add more powdered sugar. To make it thinner, add more milk slowly.
3. Assembly: Take one fresh donut (slightly warm after cooling on the rack) and dip it into a glaze and place it back on the cooling rack without the paper towel. Let it rest for 1 minute to allow the glaze to harden. Repeat with the rest of the donuts.
4. Serve immediately.