Warabi Mochi with Wasanbon Sugar Recipe

Chewy and jelly texture, warabi mochi is a popular wagashi (Japanese traditional confectionary) in Japan.

Although most of people buy it in stores, you can make it easily at home. Even if you don't have the ingredients in this recipe, you can make it with things in your local stores.

What is warabi mochi?

The oldest description about warabi mochi is that Emperor Daigo (reigned 897-930) enjoyed it. It has been loved by Japanese people for a long time.

In fact, warabi mochi is not made from rice although it is called "mochi"(rice cake). It is originally made from warabi(bracken) starch, but because the warabi starch is low yield and expensive, other starch such as kudzu starch and sweet potato starch has been mixed with or replaced for it.

The ingredients of warabi mochi are simple: starch, sugar, and water. For this recipe, sweet potato starch and wasanbon sugar are used, and kinako (roasted soy powder) for topping.

What is wasanbon sugar?

Wasanbon or wasanbontou(和三盆糖) is a type of sugar that is made from a native variety of sugarcane called bamboo sugar grown in eastern Shikoku, and is produced only in Tokushima and Kagawa prefecture with a traditional method.

wasanbon sugar (和三盆糖)

It has a mellow and delicate flavor as it contains small amounts of minerals that are not found in fully refined sugar. Because of the rich flavor, wasanbon is an essential sweetener for high-end Japanese confectionery shops across the country.

The brownish color of the warabi mochi in the photo below comes from the wasanbon sugar.

More about wasanbon from here. Wasanbon sugar: Japan's traditional and delicate sugar

Alternative Ingredients

Instead of sweet potato starch, you can use other starch such as tapioca starch, corn starch and potato starch although the texture changes. For sugar, you can use other sugar as well.

For topping, you can use matcha or cocoa powder, but both of them are bitter, so, I recommend to mix some sugar into them or pour honey or syrup on top.

More topping Options

You can pour kuromitsu(Japanese style syrup) , maple syrup or golden syrup on top if you’d like it sweeter.

Kutomitsu (黒蜜）

Warabi Mochi Recipe

Ingredients

[ 4 servings ]

warabi mochi flour (sweet potato starch) 80g / 2.8oz
wasanbon sugar 110g / 3.9oz
water 400ml
kinako (roasted soy powder) for topping

Instructions

In a pan, place water, warabi mochi flour and sugar, and mix well before heating.
Put the pan on middle-low heat mixing it continuously with a spatula until boiling. Turn on low heat, and stir continuously for 2-3 minutes until the mixture gets translucent.　
Prepare a wet container moistened by water, and pour the mixture into it (photo below). Let it cool at room temperature until it's cool enough to cut it or place the container in another container filled with water to cool it down.It’s better not to put it into a fridge as it gets harder and the texture changes.
Sprinkle kinako on a cutting board, and put the mixture onto it, and then sprinkle kinako on top.
Cut into pieces with a cake scraper. Sprinkle more kinako on top when serving.