On Chinese New Year, I made these lovely matcha mochi bars. They’re essentially the traditional Chinese rice cakes you can get in pretty much any Asian supermarket except these have a modern Japanese twist to it. First of all, these have a beautiful outer crust. Contained inside are red bean paste and mochi. Second, they’re matcha-flavoured which is a fun take from the original vanilla flavored rice cake. And last, they’re goooood.
Matcha Mochi Bars
This baked matcha mochi rice cake is sweet and delightfully chewy on the inside, with a crisp, golden crust on the outside. It’s a satisfying treat that pairs the earthy flavor of matcha with the irresistible texture of red bean and mochi.
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour
Yield: 9″x 13″ pan
Ingredients
- 1 pack (400g) glutinous rice flour
- 1 tbsp matcha + 1 tsp for the layers
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 cup sugar
- 3 eggs
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1 can (400 mL) coconut milk
- 350-400g sweetened red bean paste (coarse)
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- Grease a 9″x 13″ pan with a tablespoon of vegetable oil.
- Mix dry ingredients (flour, matcha, baking powder, sugar) in one large bowl.
- Mix eggs, oil, and coconut milk in a separate bowl.
- Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients. Mix until well combined.
- Pour half of the mixture into greased pan. Spread evenly.
- Sift a teaspoon of matcha powder evenly on top of first layer.
- Spread red bean paste as the second layer. Make sure you use a spatula to get an even spread.
- Finally, pour the remaining batter on top of the red bean paste. Use a spatula to spread evenly over the pan.
- Bake for 1 hour until crust is golden brown and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean (a little mochi stuck on there is great!)
Adapted from a traditional rice cake recipe passed-down from a friend’s mom
Taste of Raine 