Butter Mochi

One of my favorite island treats would definitely be butter mochi. It's like mochi, only not as sticky and fifty million times better. It's similar to my other favorite, bibingka malagkit, and takes less effort to prepare.

They sell it at most stores in Hawaii, so when I got home I had to make my own to curb the cravings. >.>"

Butter Mochi (adapted from allrecipes with help from my church cookbook)

1 box of Mochiko (sweet rice flour)
2 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup butter, melted
2 tsp vanilla
2 tsp baking powder
2 cups milk (I used 2%)
5 eggs
12 oz. can of coconut milk (don't confuse it with coconut cream!)
coconut flakes or shreds (to spread on top)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix dry ingredients - sugar, mochiko and baking powder together. Mix wet ingredients - butter, vanilla, milk, eggs, and coconut milk. Stir in the dry mix to the wet.

 Pour into a greased/floured or parchment lined 9x13" pan. Sprinkly dried coconut on top.

Bake for about an hour, I think mine was in for an hour and ten minutes, until the top looks nice and toasty.  You may want to put a tray underneath the rack, because mine bubbled over a little. It will "deflate" once you take it out though.

Cool/chill until it's fully set. It tastes better the second day, but you don't have to wait until then ;)

YUM.

Sak isn't a huge coconut fan, so he scrapes the crust of the top. The coconut milk inside is much more subtle, so that doesn't bother him. I like it all! Which is unfortunate, cause this thing is pretty fatty with the coconut and butter. Haha.

Anyway, it's a great dessert for bringing to potlucks, since it's served at room temp and holds up well. Or you could just eat the whole tray yourself. If you don't judge I won't either ;)