mini coconut mochi muffins
For the first taste of Sohntaste, I thought it was only fitting that I post my coveted coconut mochi muffin recipe because it embodies many of my favorite flavors into a fun-sized bite.
It’s the perfect love-child of a muffin and a rice cake, sweetened just the right amount with condensed milk, infused with coconut, crispy on the outside while also soft and chewy on the inside, with an extra crunch on top from black and white sesame seeds, which I am notorious for topping (read: dousing) all my baked goods off with. It’s well rounded literally and figuratively, and it was also what inspired me to start this blog. As much as I enjoy baking and cooking, my favorite aspect of these hobbies is how I’m able to share and care for others with the byproducts. Inevitably, I always make enough to feed a village and for the sake of my own health would force these upon everyone around me in true asian mom fashion. After many requests for this recipe, I decided to start documenting my recipes with the hope that others may use it to bless those around them as well.
These mochi muffins go well with anything and everything, and keep well for several days (if you don’t devour them before then) especially if you re-toast before eating. They even make for great camping snacks! One of my favorite memories with these muffins was roasting them over a campfire. Although a healthy amount of the salt leftover from our dinner somehow got on them, they were still good - if not better.
mini coconut mochi muffins
recipe adapted from pups with chopsticks
ingredients:
wet ingredients
1 stick unsalted butter (melted, ~½ cup)
1½ cups coconut cream
1-300 ml can sweetened coconut condensed milk (~ 1¼ cup)
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
3 eggs, room temperature
1 cup milk, room temperature
dry ingredients
¼ - ½ cup sweetened shredded coconut flakes
1 lb mochiko flour (glutinous rice flour)
3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
for topping, optional (kinda)
sesame seeds (I like to use a mix of black, brown, and white to create a gradient)
sweetened shredded coconut flakes
instructions:
in a small saucepan at medium heat, melt the butter and coconut cream. once the butter and coconut cream are all melted, stir in the sweetened shredded coconut, condensed milk, and vanilla. let the mixture cool to room temperature.
while continuing to whisk, add eggs 1 at a time, making sure to mix well in between each egg.
add the baking powder, sugar and mochiko flour and continue to mix.
slowly add in the milk and mix until the batter is smooth and has a pancake batter consistency - it shouldn't be too runny or thick.
let the batter rest at room temperature for at least one hour - this gives the cake a chewier and crispier texture. you could even let it rest overnight in the fridge, just make sure to let it come to room temperature again before baking.
set the oven to 350°F (176°C). meanwhile, grease a mini muffin tin - I like to use coconut oil spray because in cased you haven't noticed already, i'm a bit coco-nutty. lightly dust the buttered pan with coarse corn meal, coarse semolina or sugar and shake out any excess over the sink. this will help prevent the cakes from sticking to the pan (coarse corn meal or semolina will give the muffins a nice crispy crust)
using a cookie scoop or tablespoon, fill each cup in the muffin tin. top each muffin with a healthy dose of shredded coconut and sesame seeds.
place the muffin tin on the middle rack of the oven and bake for 25-35 minutes, until golden brown. let the muffins cool 5-10 minutes and enjoy!
photography by jinah choi.
