四十五：Japanese Luxury Sweets by Mochi Sweets

Mochi Sweets: Japanese Luxury Sweets

Because it's Chinese New Year I would like to review a dessert that is usually eaten on this special occasion, mochi. Mochi symbolizes a very close relationship with your family and loved ones.  

Mochi is actually a Japanese dessert made with glutinous rice pounded into a sticky form. It is then rolled to about half a centimeter thick and is filled with anko or red beans then rolled into a ball. It is similar to the Chinese dessert more familiar to us which is buchi except it is not fried and has no sesame seeds. 

Their logo printed on their white paper bag.

I first saw the store while on my way to Robinson's Supermarket from Eastwood Mall, Eastwood City Libis. At first I thought it was a jewelry store due to its design. The store is painted in what seems like black lacquer with the mochi balls displayed in glass cases. I was intimidated to even get close.

A coworker told me that a piece costs 70 pesos. I was surprised that it was that expensive. I imagined the Chinese dessert buchi and I thought 70 pesos for a mere buchi is ridiculous though it would not hurt to try one.

Their red box in celebration of the Chinese New Year.

While checking some group buying sites one day, I saw a promo for Mochi Sweets wherein they were selling it half the price. I planned buying a 12 piece box with pre assorted mochi balls but I forgot to order.

Mochi Sweets logo

While at the office, my coworkers and I talked about it and since we were all curious on what it tastes like, we thought of buying the 6 piece box so each of us can taste 2 flavors. 

Instructions inside the box.

The mochi arrived really cold because they are given to the customers frozen. You need to wait for about 20 minutes in Summer and 40 minutes in Winter as per the instruction that is written on the box and on a wax paper. Since we have Summer in our country all year round, 20 minutes was enough.

The flavors are listed on a wax paper on top of the mochi.

The first two flavors that I tasted were Dark Chocolate and Caramel Macchiato. The Dark Chocolate had dark unsweetened cocoa dusted all over the mochi ball and it was filled with dark chocolate flavored anko and a chocolate cream center. The Caramel Macchiato had cafe latte flavored mousse with caramel center. Both were delicious in my opinion.

Another paper for instructions.

I find the mochi good but still expensive but the following day when my coworker asked me to buy her mochi balls again, I bought 4 for myself just to taste the other flavors. I again bought the 6 piece box which is  by the way 380php.

The missing mochi balls were Blueberry and Mango Mousse.

I picked Chocolate Mousse, Sakura, Green Tea and Mango Yoghurt.

L-R Clockwise: Sakura, Green Tea, Mango Yoghurt and  Chocolate Mousse

When you buy mochi from them, they give tiny plastic forks. I actually do not know how to use it so I just poked the mochi and bite it. The mochi is really soft that pinching or poking it felt like I was hurting something like a poring. A poring by the way is a cute monster shaped like a droplet from the  MMORPG Ragnarok.

Chocolate Mousse Mochi

I first tasted the Chocolate Mousse mochi. It had creamy milk chocolate mousse filling with melted chocolate in the center. I imagined eating/drinking a hot chocolate drink. 

Poke!

I believe the fork is used to cut the mochi in half while still frozen but since the mochi is already too soft after thawing I just poked it. 

Chocolate Mousse with chocolate mousse filling and melted chocolate in the middle.

I never thought that mousse can be used as a mochi's filling but it tasted really good. It was not too sweet and the mousse was smooth.

Sakura Mochi

I then tried the Sakura Mochi. It's mochi skin is pinkish in color and has sakura flavored filling with sweet cream in the center. It is so cute, just put eyes and a mouth on it and it's a poring! :3

Sakura filling with cream center.

The filling of the Sakura Mochi is very unique. I believe it is made of white beans with shredded sakura leaves which explains the green specks. I am not sure what kind of cream is in the center but it was mildly sweet. I read some reviews that said the filling was a bit salty and I think it is because sakura leaves are soaked in water with salt overnight to remove the bitterness before it is used as a wrapping for mochi. 

Green Tea Mochi

Third is the Green Tea or Matcha Mochi. It has matcha flavored filling with matcha flavored cream center.

Green Tea flavored bean paste filling with green tea flavored center.

The green tea mochi was a bit bitter due to the matcha mixed in it but it was still delicious. The anko was still sweet with a hint of matcha but the creamy center produced the stronger matcha taste.

Mango Yoghurt Mochi

Last in the box was Mango Yoghurt Mochi. It has pale white mochi skin, yoghurt filling and mango puree center. I ate it last because I really like eating mangoes so I saved it first.

Looks like an Egg. Yoghurt filling with mango puree center.

Once you bite it in half, it resembles a soft boiled egg. It's tangy due to the yoghurt and sweet due to the ripe mango puree. It's a good combination. 

Every mochi that I ate was a unique experience. Thought it's quite expensive I had fun tasting each of the mochi and savoring the unique flavor combinations.

Mochi Sweets in Eastwood City Libis is at Eastwood Mall's 2/F along the pathway going to Robinson's Supermarket. A three piece box is 200Php, six piece box is 360Php and a twelve piece box is 680Php.