Vampire Bite Mochi (Gluten-Free)
You don't need fangs to take a bite out of these pomegranate and almond mochi. But they certainly wouldn't hurt.
Happy Halloween, my little freaks! I’ve got a real nasty one for you this week, because there’s nothing I love more than making something absolutely delicious look absolutely disgusting. I really outdid myself this year. Working with the skin mochi was…unsettling, to say the least. Let’s just say it would have been really awkward if the police invaded my house at that exact moment in time.
Servings: 20 | Prep Time: 1 hour 45 minutes | Chill Time: 3 hours 15 minutes
Large stainless-steel pan
Gloves
1 ½” diameter silicone dome molds (link)
Microwave-safe bowl
Plastic wrap
Rolling pin
2 ½” diameter round cutter
Pastry brush
Toothpick
Pomegranate Molasses:
4 cups pomegranate juice
1 tbsp lemon juice
½ cup sugar
Bloody Almond Filling:
10 ½ oz almond paste
Skin Mochi:
1 cup (150 g) Mochiko sweet rice flour
¼ cup powdered sugar, sifted
1 cup hot water
Cornstarch (for dusting)
Food dye (orange, pink)
Pomegranate Molasses (1 hour + 1 hour chilling)
In a large stainless-steel pan, combine the pomegranate juice, lemon juice, and sugar with a silicone spatula (the juice is quite staining, so it’s best to avoid using wood or anything that will stain).
Cook over medium heat until sugar has fully dissolved.
Reduce heat to medium, keeping the mixture at a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until reduced to 1 cup and mixture coats the back of a spoon, about 1 hour.
Remove from the heat and transfer to a jar. Chill in the fridge until set, about 1 hour.
Bloody Almond Filling (15 minutes + 1 hour 30 minutes chilling)
To a small bowl, add the almond paste and 6 tbsp of the prepared pomegranate molasses.
With gloved hands, work the pomegranate molasses into the almond paste, kneading until fully combined.
Transfer the paste to the silicone dome molds. Cover with plastic wrap and transfer to the freezer for 1 hour 30 minutes, or until firm.
Skin Mochi (30 minutes + 45 minutes chilling)
In a microwave-safe bowl, whisk together the rice flour and powdered sugar.
Add the hot water and whisk until there are no lumps.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and poke several holes in the plastic with a fork.
Microwave the mixture for 2 minutes, stopping halfway to stir the mixture halfway.
Add in a couple tiny drops of each color of food dye and whisk until a fleshy color is achieved.
Microwave the mixture for another minute, whisking to make sure heat is being distributed evenly.
Microwave for 30 more seconds.
Lay out a piece of parchment paper on a flat work surface.
Liberally dust with cornstarch and dump out your dough. Dust the dough and your rolling pin with cornstarch.
Roll out the dough to about ¼” thickness.
Transfer the parchment paper with the dough to the fridge to chill for about 30 minutes.
With a 2 ½” round cutter, cut the dough into small circles.
Place a spoonful of filling into each circle and wrap the mochi around the filling, pinching the edges together to seal.
Brush the excess cornstarch off with a pastry brush and chill in the freezer to set, about 15 minutes.
Once set, poke two holes with a toothpick into each mochi and drip some pomegranate molasses onto the holes to look like blood.
Serve immediately. Leftovers may be stored in an airtight container, in the fridge, for up to 3 days.
Enjoy!
Be sure to check out my Best Practices page for tips on how to make this recipe yourself. Let me know in the comments if you have any questions and feel free to tag me on Instagram @made.by.shade if you make it!
-Shade