Mochi donut explained

Mochi donut
Type:Fried dough
Course:Breakfast, snack, dessert
Country:Hawaii (United States), Japan
Main Ingredient:Tapioca flour, rice flour

Mochi donuts, also known as poi mochi, are a fusion pastry crossing traditional American-style doughnuts and Japanese mochi. The mochi donuts' "hybrid batter makes for a doughnut that is fluffy and moist, with a satisfying chew".[1] An early iteration can be traced back to Hawaii in the early 1990s. Mochi donuts were popularized by Mister Donut's "Pon de Ring" in the early 2000s.[2] Mochi donuts are commonly formed into a circular shape, consisting of eight small balls that are easy to pull apart. They are made out of glutinous rice flour or tapioca flour.

History and origins

One of the earliest iterations of mochi donuts can be traced to the development of "poi mochi" by Charmaine Ocasek in Hawaii in 1992. This iteration is a fusion of American donuts and Japanese mochi and "consisted of deep-fried balls of mashed taro and mochiko, a Japanese short-grain sweet rice flour".[3]

In 2003, the Japanese donut chain Mister Donut launched, named after the Brazilian pão de queijo bread. This iteration of the hybrid confection was popularized in Japan before spreading to the United States via Hawaii.[4] Hawaii "tends to catch on to Japanese food trends before the rest of the [United States], thanks to its larger population of Japanese-Americans and closer proximity to Japan".[5] The "pon de ring" style is shaped into a ring of eight connected small balls.[6] On calling the "pon de ring" style a mochi donut, Epicurious stated: "oddly enough, neither pon de ring or pão de queijo are made with glutinous rice flour. Both typically use tapioca flour, and while pão de queijo is gluten-free, most recipes for pon de ring also include wheat flour. [...] Some folks suggest the name has less to do with the glutinous rice flour that we often associate with foods called mochi and more to do with the phrase mochi-mochi, which describes a uniquely soft but elastic or even bouncy texture".[7]

Modern preparation

Mister Donut uses tapioca flour to produce mochi donuts that are easy to pull apart. Another variation developed in the United States uses glutinous rice flour which produces a denser mochi donut akin to Hawaiian-style butter mochi.[8] [9] [10] Mochi donuts made from glutinous rice flour "typically contain half the amount of calories as the standard cake or yeast doughnut".[11] The Takeout noted that "mochi doughnuts have a crispy exterior, due to being fried or baked, and a chewy interior thanks to the use of" mochiko sweet rice flour and that "some recipes are gluten free, since they use rice or tapioca flour rather than the conventional wheat variety".[12]

Equipment

Although mochi donuts can be made by hand, most bakeries use machines that mold the dough into the traditional ring shapes and drop them directly into the oil for more efficiency.[13] [14] [15]

Variations

Mochi donuts can be found in various flavors and colors.[16] Similar to "regular donuts, mochi donuts typically feature classic, buttery vanilla dough". Glazes that feature "Japanese flavors like matcha, pandan, and ube are common". Mochi donuts are often found garnished with different toppings such as chocolate chips, sesame seeds, grilled coconut chips, fresh or candied fruit, matcha powder, or cinnamon sugar.

Mister Donut offers seasonal-themed variations with various glazes such as strawberry; they also offer a version made from chocolate dough and version that is cream filled.[17]

Popularity

Originally popular in Asia, mochi donuts rapidly gained popularity across the United States in recent years with the help of social media. Mochi donuts’ bright colors and playful shape, which is reminiscent of a flower or a bracelet, make them particularly photogenic.[18]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 2020-09-20 . Mochi doughnuts are sweet, chewy and delightfully uniform . 2022-05-23 . Las Vegas Review-Journal . en-US.
  2. Web site: Gee . Pat . February 11, 2020 . Grab & Go: Uncle Lani's poi mochi binds family, yields bounty . subscription . 2022-05-31 . Honolulu Star-Advertiser . en-US.
  3. Web site: Lam . Clarice . March 14, 2022 . Mochi Doughnuts . 2022-05-31 . Epicurious . en-US.
  4. Web site: December 2, 2020 . MoDo Hawaii's wildly popular mochi donuts are coming to the Bay Area Peninsula Foodist Elena Kadvany Palo Alto Online . 2021-06-13 . paloaltoonline.com.
  5. Web site: Mochi Donuts Are the Japanese and American Pastry Hybrid Sweeping the Nation . 2022-05-23 . Thrillist . 23 September 2020 . en.
  6. News: Shimbun . Yomiuri . August 28, 2010 . [ONタイム・仕事師たち]ポン・デ・リング もちもち食感再開発 |language=Japanese |trans-title=[ON Time / Workers] Pon de Ring Redevelopment of Mochimochi Texture |pages=6 |work=Osaka Evening Edition.
  7. Web site: Lam . Clarice . 2022-03-15 . How to Make Crispy, Chewy Mochi Doughnuts at Home . 2022-06-06 . Epicurious . en-US.
  8. Web site: Kocher . Sarah . April 24, 2021 . Never heard of a mochi donut, or dying to get your hands on one? Either way, a Sartell baker has you covered. . 2021-06-13 . St. Cloud Times . en-US.
  9. Web site: Woo . Candice . 2021-04-19 . Mochi Doughnut Craze Coming to Convoy . 2021-06-13 . Eater San Diego . en.
  10. Web site: 2021-11-08 . Where to Bite Into Chewy, Fried Mochi Doughnuts in North Texas . 2022-05-23 . D Magazine . en-US.
  11. Web site: 2021-04-23 . Japanese mochi doughnut chain opening new RiNo location . 2021-06-13 . The Know . en-US.
  12. Web site: 2023-09-27 . This Is the Doughnut You're Seeing Everywhere . 2023-09-27 . The Takeout . en.
  13. Web site: Bryant . Miranda . 2021-10-20 . Feast your eyes on these unique donuts . 2022-06-05 . WDIV . en.
  14. Web site: Chen . Namiko . 2019-09-30 . Pon de Ring Donut Recipe ポンデリング . 2022-06-05 . Just One Cookbook . en-US.
  15. August 18, 2015 . Japanese fashion doll, Licca visits Mr. Donut . YouTube . Japanese . Japan . タカラトミー TAKARATOMY. June 5, 2022.
  16. Web site: March 14, 2022 . Mochi Donut Recipe: How to Make Matcha Mochi Donuts . June 6, 2022 . MasterClass.
  17. Web site: 2022年|メニューヒストリー . 2022 Menu History . 2022-06-07 . Mister Donut . Japanese.
  18. Web site: International Flavor, Local Ingredients: Get Your Mochi Donut Fix in the Bay . 2022-05-23 . KQED . 25 September 2019 . en-us.