Lemon Mochi Chicks

Lemon Mochi Chicks

Confession: I’m the girl in the froyo line that swipes all the mochi toppings. There’s just something about that bouncy marshmallow texture that I can’t resist. If you’re unfamiliar, mochi is a Japanese rice confection with rich history, that’s slightly sweet and chewy. You can eat it plain or chopped into pieces for a sundae topping. It is often filled with sweet red bean paste, but I love eating it wrapped around strawberries and scoops of ice cream.

Lemon Mochi Chicks

I didn’t intend to make mochi yesterday, but around lunch time I had a craving for it. I decided to make myself some with a ‘cheat’ version that’s made in the microwave (mochi purists – look away!). First, you stir all the ingredients together and microwave it at 100% for about 3 minutes. When it comes out of the microwave it looks like this (above) – almost solidified with a runny center. Then you stir, stir, stir the sticky mass together and heat it again for another 2.5 to 3 minutes.

Lemon Mochi Chicks

Ta-dah! Mochi! Well, almost. It’s rather hot and sticky at this stage, so be very careful handling it. Let it stand for a minute or two and then dust with cornstarch.

Lemon Mochi Chicks

Pat out the mochi out with your hands as well as you can. It will be elastic and prone to spring back. You can use a corn starch-dusted rolling pin to flatten the candy.

Lemon Mochi Chicks

Cut the mochi into pieces with a sharp knife. Dust the knife with flour if it wants to stick to the candy.

Lemon Mochi Chicks

Pinch the ends of the mochi together to form a little round dumpling-shaped piece of candy. You’ll have to gather and pinch (rather firmly!) repeatedly to achieve the round shape. It’s okay if the end result isn’t perfectly round.

Lemon Mochi Chicks

See? Mine are far from perfect rounds, but the candies will look more perfect after they are placed in mini cupcake liners.

Lemon Mochi Chicks

The excess cornstarch can be brushed away with a pastry brush or a small soft hair artists’ brush (make sure the latter is new, unused or kitchen-dedicated).

Lemon Mochi Chicks

The beaks are candy-coated orange mini chocolate chips (you can find them here) and were attached with a teeny-tiny drop of light corn syrup, as were the black sugar pearl eyes (found here). The feet are orange flower sprinkles (here). Mochi is very soft and holds moisture, so over time the black nonpariels will start to melt. My batch didn’t last long at all, so this wasn’t a problem for me. If you’re looking to store these for an extended amount of time, I’d suggest piping black buttercream on for the eyes instead of using the nonpareils. The other sprinkles fared much better.

Before I close there’s something else I’d like to share with you – more EASY Easter treats! I recently held a workshop for the blog editors at HGTV, which was really awesome and kind of surreal for me. I can’t believe I didn’t get pictures of their gorgeous lobby and stylish cafe, but trust me when I say –wow. Anyway. You can check out our workshop here on HGTV.com, and there’s links to all the recipes we made that day. So fun!

5 No-Bake Easter Treats on HGTV.com

Lemon Mochi Chicks

One more little note about these mochi chickies, you must use a special kind of rice flour called Mochiko, or, glutinous rice flour. This flour is available at international markets and online. If it doesn’t say Mochiko or glutinous rice flour on the package, don’t use it for mochi!

Lemon Mochi Chicks

Heather Baird
This version of mochi is quick and easy to make in the microwave. Be sure to use glutinous rice flour, which is labeled "Mochiko". Other rice flours will not work.
4.50 from 2 votes
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine Japanese
Servings 12

Ingredients
 
 

  • 1 cup glutinous rice flour Mochiko
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1 1/4 cups water at room temperature
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon lemon extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon yellow gel food color
  • 1/2 cup cornstarch
  • Light corn syrup
  • 10-12 orange mini chips
  • 20-24 black nonpareils or black buttercream
  • 20-24 orange flower sprinkles
  • 10-12 mini cupcake liners

Instructions
 

  • Combine all of the ingredients except the cornstarch in a medium size microwave safe bowl. Using a rubber spatula, stir the mixture well until no lumps remain. Scrape away any excess liquid mochi mixture that may have been sloshed high on the sides of the bowl while stirring.
  • Microwave the mixture at 100% power for 2 minutes. Remove from the microwave and stir well. Dough will very thick and sticky, just stir as best you can with a sturdy spatula. Return to microwave; heat for 2 minutes longer.
  • When dough begins to inflate while cooking, and then deflates with the microwave door is opened the candy is ready to be removed. If the dough doesn’t inflate during the previous one minute of cooking time, microwave for 1 additional minute.
  • Remove the bowl from the microwave. Sprinkle a cutting board with half the cornstarch; scrape the hot dough onto the cornstarch and then pat the surface with cornstarch-coated hands (be careful, the dough is sticky and HOT!). Stretch dough gently and use your hands to flatten it. Cut into 10-12 pieces. With corn flour-dusted hands, gently pinch the edges together to form a ball. Place each ball into a mini cupcake liner and brush away excess corn starch with a pastry brush.
  • Adhere the black nonpareils or ‘eyes’ onto the mochi with dots of corn syrup, adhere the mini chips (beak) and flower sprinkles (feet) in the same way.
  • Serve immediately.

Notes

I think these are best eaten the same day, but they can be kept fresh with plastic wrap and refrigeration.
Keyword glutinous rice flour, microwave mochi, mochiko
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
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Bella B
Bella B
8 years ago

So cute, I love that they are bite size treat!|
http://xoxobella.com

Kara @ K&R Adventures
Kara @ K&R Adventures
8 years ago

I'm that person too – the one swiping all of the mochi topping in the froyo line! I love it. Have you tried the mochi ice cream from Trader Joe's? Soooo good!
But these just look downright too cute to eat! Now that I know mochi can be made using the microwave, I might have to try my hand at it!

United Cakedom
United Cakedom
8 years ago

So cute! I am a little ashamed to say that mochi isn't my favourite thing in the world. Saying that I only tried it once from a chain sushi resturant….so maybe I need to try your lemon version! Now on a hunt for the flour……

Unknown
Unknown
8 years ago

OMG my grandson is going to love these! I just want to let you know how much I look forward to your posts. I got both your books for Christmas from my husband. I am really enjoying them. Hope you write more. Your goodies rock girl!

macro calculator
macro calculator
8 years ago

Omg those are so freaking cute, I WOULDNT BE ABLE TO EAT THEM! LOL. Awesome job!

kucing
kucing
8 years ago

Sooo cute! you just want to adopt them instead of eating them! Queen of cuteness you are, Heather!

Sherry
Sherry
7 years ago

These are adorable!! Here's a hint for cutting mochi – use a plastic knife (yes, the cheap disposable stuff). I'm not sure why, but the mochi doesn't stick at all to the plastic so it cuts beautifully.

jennai
jennai
7 years ago

So cute i love them to bite

Michele
Michele
7 years ago

These are precious!! Would love to try making mochi. I've actually never heard of it. Going to check out your treats on HGTV. VERY cool!

sophie
sophie
5 months ago

4 stars
im going to make them with lemon curd inside