Chocolate Mochi with Nutella Filling

Huge disclaimer: I've never made mochi (Japanese sticky rice cakes) before. Although I've always enjoyed Fugetsu-do Sweet Shop's soft and chewy mochi. I've wanted to try their chocolate mochi too but at 6 small pieces for $4, just couldn't justify the expense. I thought they were hard to make until I saw Melting Wok's post months ago about nuking mochiko (Japanese sticky rice flour) in the microwave for 5 minutes. She made it look so simple. I knew I'd make it at some point, I just didn't know when. Then in mid-December, Nikki Polani was kind enough to send me a large container of cocoa. Mochi + cocoa = chocolate mochi. And then with World Nutella Day coming up on February 5, I had an idea for the ultimate recipe. Mochi + cocoa + Nutella = chocolate mochi with Nutella filling. Apologies for the indelicate appearance, but rest assured they tasted much better than they looked. Chocolate Mochi with Nutella Filling Adapted from the chocolate mochi recipe from Koda Farms Blue Star Brand mochiko For about a dozen mochi, you'll need: 1 1/2 cups mochiko (Japanese sticky rice flour) 1 1/2 cups water 3/4 cup sugar 1/2 cup cocoa Nutella Mix 3/4 cup sugar and 1/2 cup cocoa and set aside. In another bowl, mix 1 1/2 cups mochiko and 1 1/2 cups water, cover and microwave for 5 minutes. You'll get a rather wet-looking mixture like below. Stir to make sure the mochiko is evenly distributed. Then add the cocoa mixture 1/4 cup at a time and mix until the cocoa is evenly distributed. Keep stirring to make sure everything is smooth. Cover and put the mixture back in microwave for another 5 minutes. You'll end up with a mixture that looks like very thick cake mix. Let the dough rest for about 10 minutes or so, until slightly cooled. You want to work with the dough while it's still warm. Oil or flour your hands with mochiko and pat the dough into flat discs. I tried both methods, floured on the left and oiled on the right, and it was still a messy process either way. Spoon a dab of Nutella into the middle of each mochi disc. Then gather the ends and fold into a ball. Place mochi balls on candy cups for serving. Mochi doesn't keep very well. So either eat them all the day you make them (As if that'd be a hardship!) or wrap in plastic and they'll keep for a few days at room temperature. After that, the mochi will get too hard and start molding. Enjoy! I'm submitting this recipe to World Nutella Day hosted by Sara from Ms. Adventures in Italy, Michelle from Bleeding Espresso, and Shelley from At Home in Rome (in spirit). Check back with them on February 5 for a round-up of Nutella recipes from around the world. Who made my recipe for chocolate mochi with Nutella filling? FoodahoLiv and Mochachocolata Rita both made this recipe for a Valentine's Day party. Other Nutella recipes: Egg rolls stuffed with bananas and mangoes with Nutella dipping sauce Bananas, Nutella, and peanut butter sandwiches. ***** 1 year ago today, the "5 things about me" meme.