Cherry Blossom Rice Cake 桜餅

Ingredients

• 150 g sweet azuki bean paste (*1)
• 100 g Domyojiko (*2)
• 160 ml water
• 20 g sugar
• tiny amount red food colouring
• 6 pickled cherry blossom leaf
• 6 salted sakura flower buds
• 1/2 tsp gelatine leaf (Or 1/2 gelatine leaf 1.2 x 1.2 inch (3cm x 3cm))
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/8 cup sugar
• 1 cup glutinous rice (*4)
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 cup sugar

Instructions

1. 1

   --- Preparation ---

2. 2

   Soak the cherry leaves and cherry blossoms in water for about 20 minutes to remove the salt. Cut off the stems, spread them out on a paper towel, and cover with paper to keep them from drying out.

3. 3

   Make the sugar syrup for shaping by putting all the ingredients in a saucepan and bring it to simmer. When the gelatine has dissolved, turn the heat off.

4. 4

   --- Making Sakura Mochi ---

5. 5

   Place 1 tablespoon of water from the water listed in the ingredients in a small bowl and dissolve a tiny amount of red food colouring. You only need a tiny amount as when it is cooked, the colour intensifies, and we want a subtle pink like the colour of cherry blossom flowers.

6. 6

   Pour the rest of the water and the dissolved coloured water into a pot and add sugar into the pot. Dissolve the sugar and then add the domyojiko into the pot.

7. 7

   Cook the domyojiko and the water over low-medium heat for about 7-8 minutes by constantly stirring with a wooden spatula to prevent it from burning.

8. 8

   Turn the heat off and put a lid on to steam.

9. 9

   Divide the cooked domyojiko into 6 equal portions.

10. 10

    Brush some plastic wrap sheet with the sugar syrup and place 1/6 of the cooked domyojiko over it.

11. 11

    Fold the plastic wrap over the domyojiko and flatten the rice into a round shape with your finger tips.

12. 12

    Place one of the prepared anko balls and wrap the anko ball with the cooked pink domyojiko.

13. 13

    Remove the plastic wrap and wrap it with a sakura leaf (wrap so that the leaf vein is on the outside, which is prettier) and top with a cherry blossom flower bud.

14. 14

    Repeat 6-9 steps for the rest of the ingredients.

15. 15

    --- Domyojiko Substitution with Glutinous Rice *3 ---

16. 16

    Wash and soak the rice in 2 cups of water (not listed in the ingredients list) overnight. *5

17. 17

    After the rice is soaked overnight, drain the rice and pulse the rice a few times in a food processor.

18. 18

    Steam the rice for 30 minutes over medium heat. *6

19. 19

    Place the water and sugar in a saucepan. Bring it to boil to dissolve the sugar. Add a tiny amount of red food colouring. Transfer the sugar water to a large bowl and set aside.

20. 20

    Add the steamed rice to the large bowl with pink colored sugary water. Stir the rice with a wooden spatula to let the rice absorb the pink coloured sugar water.

21. 21

    Divide the rice into six equal portions.