Are you a mochi fan? Here's the viral recipe for making this famous Japanese dessert yourself (with just 4 ingredients)

Giant mochi filled with cream and strawberries are the homemade version of one of Japan's most iconic desserts. With a dough made from just three ingredients - glutinous rice flour, water and sugar - and a fresh, creamy filling, you can reproduce them at home in minutes.

Mochis are an iconic Japanese sweet: soft, elastic, slightly sticky and surprisingly delicate to eat. In this homemade version, you prepare them in a "giant" format with a heart of cream and strawberries, for a fresh, ultra-gourmand result. Behind their innocent appearance, however, lies a very special texture that requires very special attention: it's precisely their elasticity that makes them famous... but it can also make them risky if not properly chewed before swallowing.

Ingredients

For the dough :

• 120 g glutinous rice flour
• 180 g water
• 40 g sugar
• Cornstarch (for shaping)

For the filling :

• 300 ml full-fat liquid cream (or Greek yoghurt for a lighter version)
• 40-50 g powdered sugar (to taste)
• 1 large strawberry for each mochi

Prepare the filling

Whip the cream with the powdered sugar to a soft, airy but firm consistency. Wash the strawberries and dry thoroughly.

Coat each strawberry with a little cream to form balls, then place in the freezer for at least 30 minutes: this will make assembling the mochis much easier.

Prepare the dough

Mix the glutinous rice flour, sugar and water in a bowl until smooth and lump-free. Pour the mixture into a heatproof container, cover and steam for 20-25 minutes.

Halfway through cooking, you can stir to even out the texture. Once ready, the dough becomes translucent, dense and very sticky.

Working the mochi

Sprinkle your work surface generously with cornstarch. Transfer the still-warm dough (be careful: it burns) and sprinkle some over it too. Gently roll out the dough and divide into several portions.

Topping

Take a portion and flatten it with your hands to form a disk. Place a ball of strawberry cream in the center. Close the mochi, pinching the edges to seal. Turn over to obtain a smooth surface.

Important tips (not to be taken lightly)

• Always chew slowly: the elastic texture can be difficult to swallow;
• Avoid large mouthfuls, especially for children and the elderly;
• If this is your first time eating them, take time to get used to the texture.

How to serve them

Mochi can be served in a variety of simple yet beautiful ways. You can serve them at room temperature to enhance their softness, or slightly chilled from the fridge if you prefer a firmer, fresher consistency.

When it comes to presentation, they look great on a cake stand or beautifully arranged on a tray. For a neater look, place them in small, colorful paper boxes: as well as being practical, they emphasize the clean, minimalist look of these sweet treats.

They're ideal as a light dessert at the end of a meal, but also for a little gourmet break. They go perfectly and naturally with a cup of tea, black or green, which balances the sweetness and recalls the Japanese atmosphere in all simplicity.