Paleo Matcha Daifuku Mochi with a White Chocolate Matcha Ganache

A while back I received a Matchæologist® Brewing Kit that contains their signature Matsu™ ceremonial-grade matcha, a beautiful Cloud Glass Chawan (handblown double-walled glass bowl), a Glass Chashaku (matcha portioning spoon), and a Full-Hand Chasen (full-length bamboo matcha whisk) all in a pretty little zip-up case. It retails at just £50 which I think any matcha lover would agree is a bargain. This set makes you feel like you’ve been transported to Japan to take part in an ancient tea ceremony.

These Paleo Matcha Daifuku Mochi are 100% grain-free and filled with a gorgeously glossy vegan White Chocolate Matcha Ganache.

By the way, these guys have totally made #matchagasm a real thing – if you don’t believe me just head on over to their Instagram account for some seriously drool-worthy photos.

I decided that drinking a glass of Matchæologist’s rich and creamy artisan roasted matcha just wasn’t enough – it deserved a luxurious and royal treatment – naturally both a silky smooth matcha ganache and chewy daifuku mochi sprang to mind.

Daifuku is a Japanese dessert which consists of a small round, sweet and sticky rice dough (known as mochi) that has been stuffed with a super sweet filling – typically a sweetened red bean paste known as anko. Some more modern fillings are whole strawberries and anko, creme caramel, chestnuts, ice cream, and if you’re an avid Yo! Sushi goer – a gorgeously glossy chocolate ganache!

Now, daifuku is naturally gluten-free however it is often laden with processed sugars and other nasties so I’ve taken it upon myself to create a totally grain-free and healthier version that has the same stretchy and chewy qualities and doesn’t skimp on that oh so sweet flavour. You might remember that when I first started my blog I created a Paleo mochi version before, however the dough dried out and the method left you tackling a hot sticky dough that wanted to destroy your kitchen – looking back I realise that it just wasn’t capable of holding the same shape or enough liquid and that’s why this time I’ve added xanthan gum to my batch.

I know that many of you may well be against xanthan gum, but we are talking about recreating a treat that can’t be made in any other way – it just isn’t scientifically possible. I wouldn’t recommend eating these on a daily basis, even though the levels of xanthan gum are pretty low, the sugar isn’t – natural or not it’s still sugar. This is supposed to be a treat and not a diet staple so I urge you to enjoy a batch once a month and to buy your xanthan gum from a reputable manufacturer such as Dove’s Farm or Bob’s Red Mill – both of which are gluten-free. It’s unclear however whether these are corn or wheat derived products but if you are concerned about consuming xanthan gum head on over to Chris Kresser’s site for more info.

Enough boring food science waffle though – let’s get down to the nitty gritty – these bad boys give a mean matcha punch in a smooth and sophisticated way. The white chocolate matcha ganache is dairy-free and enrobed in the chewiest and most beautiful sweet mochi dough. Words cannot describe how amazing these little bundles of joy are so you’re just going to have to make them yourselves. Good news is that these are easier to make than real daifuku mochi – so get stuck in!

Paleo Matcha Daifuku Mochi with a White Chocolate Matcha Ganache

 

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Prep time

2 hours

Cook time

15 mins

Total time

2 hours 15 mins

 

These Paleo Matcha Daifuku Mochi are 100% grain-free and filled with a gorgeously glossy vegan White Chocolate Matcha Ganache.

Author: Greens of the Stone Age

Recipe type: Dessert

Cuisine: Japanese

Serves: 5

Ingredients

For the ganache:

• ¼ cup organic milk or nut milk of choice
• 1 tbsp raw honey or maple syrup
• 50g cacao butter (chopped)
• ½ cup coconut milk powder
• 1 tsp Matchæologist® Matsu™ Ceremonial Matcha
• Pinch salt

For the mochi dough:

• ½ cup tapioca flour (plus ¼ cup to dust)
• ½ tsp xanthan gum
• 1-2 tsp Matchæologist® Matsu™ Ceremonial Matcha (plus 1 tsp to dust)
• ¼ cup raw honey or maple syrup
• 50 ml water

Instructions

1. Start by making your ganache. In a pan heat ¼ cup milk with the raw honey until just simmering. Whisk in your matcha until there are no lumps remaining.
2. Place your chopped cacao butter, coconut milk powder, and salt into a heatproof bowl then pour over the hot matcha milk, mixing until smooth and glossy. Leave to one side to cool until solid (about 45 mins to 1 hour), then cover in cling film and place in the fridge until needed.
3. Next dust your work surface with ¼ cup tapioca flour and begin to make your mochi dough. In a heavy bottomed pan whisk together ½ cup tapioca flour, the xanthan gum, and 1 to 2 tsp matcha (depending upon how strong you like things) before whisking in the raw honey and water. Mix until it forms a smooth paste. Place onto a low heat and beat continuously with a wooden spoon until the mixture begins to thicken into a super sticky and gummy like dough. You must stir continuously to prevent lumps from forming.
4. Scrape out your dough onto your dusted work surface and sprinkle some of the tapioca flour over the top of the dough too. Leave to cool for 5-10 minutes or until cool enough to handle.
5. Knead the dough until it becomes malleable enough to roll into a shape and is no longer incredibly sticky to the touch. Be gentle when kneading as it's very easy to knead in all of your flour and be left with a sticky mess on your hands.
6. Roll the dough into a sausage and divide into 5 equal parts. Roll each part into a ball. Take a ball and flatten into a disc with the palm of your hand until about 0.5cm thick.
7. Remove your ganache from the fridge, take a tablespoon of the mix, and form into a ball like you would a truffle. Place the truffle into the centre of the mochi disc and begin to seal the mochi by pinching together opposite sides. Once all of the sides have been sealed twist them together. Reshape the mochi into a smooth round ball using your palms, lightly dust with tapioca flour, and set to one side. Repeat until all of the mochis have been filled.
8. Take a small sprinkling of matcha powder and begin to lightly dust all 5 daifuku until they are a gorgeous green colour. Serve immediately or refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days. You can also freeze these daifuku for up to 2 weeks.

Notes

* Please note that prep time includes a 45 minute to 1 and a half hour cooling time for the ganache.
** All cup measurements used are UK cup measurements and so 1 cup = 250ml.

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