There’s mochi, and then there’s crispy Shanghai butter mochi and the difference really does come down to texture. Hawaiian butter mochi had its moment online for a reason: it’s dense, chewy, and deeply satisfying. But Shanghai butter mochi pushes that same foundation further, until the outside is crispy while the centre stays perfectly soft and chewy. That contrast is everything.
The classic version everyone’s been making uses butter with a hint of condensed milk, and it’s good but I wanted to make it my own. I flavoured mine two ways: matcha powder and freeze-dried strawberry powder. The matcha brings a gentle bitterness and the strawberry is bright and tangy, and both help cut through the sweetness of the batter so it never feels heavy. One tablespoon of either is all you need.
A note on the pan: I use a canele mould and recommend filling each mold to about 70% capacity. The batter puffs up as it bakes, and if you overfill, you lose the best part that crispy domed top. You’ll know it’s done when the bottom looks slightly wrinkled and set. If you’re not sure it’s crispy enough, use a toothpick to tap the edges. Mochi is very forgiving, so you can keep baking it a little longer without ruining it.
Yields: 6-18 pieces depending on baking pan size
Ingredients
- Unsalted butter 70g
- Milk 220g
- Whole egg 33g (about ¾ of a large egg)
- Granulated sugar70g
- Salt 2g
- Glutinous rice flour1 25g
- Tapioca starch 40g
- Softened butter (for the pan)
Flavouring — choose one (or both)
- Matcha powder1 tbsp
- Freeze-dried strawberry powder1 tbsp
Instructions
- Melt the butter gently and let it cool slightly.
- Whisk together the sugar and egg until combined.
- Add the milk and butter and mix well.
- Fold in the glutinous rice flour, salt and tapioca starch until smooth.
- If making two flavours, split the batter in half and mix in matcha powder to one and strawberry powder to the other.
- Spread softened butter to coat the inside of each canele mold (this will give the mochi the signature crispy crunch)
- Fill your molds to about 70% capacity (they will puff up)
- Bake at 390°F for 10 minutes, then reduce to 375°F for about 20 minutes. If using a shallower pan, try 350°F for 20 minutes instead.
- The mochi is done when the top looks wrinkled and set, and the edges feel firm when tapped with a toothpick.
- Let cool in the molds for 10–15 minutes before unmolding.
pistachiopicks 