September 1, 2013

Butter Mochi

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Butter Mochi (Sweet Rice Flour Cake)

Butter Mochi

September: National Rice Month

Islander’s Daddy brings butter mochi and bibingka to church meetings and Islander has continued the custom on the mainland. When a few friends get together for a prayer social, the “local expatriates” often request a Hawaii-style dessert. Islander obliges and makes a mochiko (sweetened rice flour) cake because it can feed a crowd. Our haole friends refer to butter mochi as Hawaiian cornbread because it looks like it. Some cultures consider corn as king, but to others rice is royalty! For National Rice Month, make something ‘ono with sweetened rice flour and bake butter mochi.

Recipe

(Adapted from Hawaii’s Best Local Desserts)

Ingredients

  • 1 box (16 ounces/1 pound) mochiko (sweet rice flour)
  • 3 cups sugar (we used 2 cups)
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1 stick (½ cup) butter (plus more for greasing the pan and shining the top)
  • 5 eggs, beaten
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 can (12 ounces) coconut milk

Directions

Generously grease a 9×13-inch baking pan with butter. In a microwave safe bowl, place the stick of butter and microwave until melted. Set aside to cool slightly. In a large bowl, mix the mochiko and sugar.

Butter Mochi

Add baking powder and the melted butter to the mixture. Mix in the beaten eggs, vanilla and coconut milk. Stir well until smooth.

Butter Mochi

Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake in a preheated oven at 375 degrees F for 45 minutes, testing for doneness with a toothpick (should come out clean). Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 15 minutes. Rub about two tablespoons of butter on top of the butter mochi until it shines. This prevents the dessert from drying and cracking too much. Cool completely. Slice into squares and serve.

Butter Mochi

Notes

  • Squares of butter mochi may be garnished with shredded coconut (optional).
  • Islander’s Daddy serves the sliced squares in cute cupcake papers for a pretty presentation.
  • Search our blog for more rice recipes.

 

August 31, 2013

Hawaii 5-0 Trail Mix

Posted by HI Cookery under 08 August | Tags: , , , |
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Hawaii 5-0 Trail Mix

Hawaii 5-0 Trail Mix

August 31: National Trail Mix Day

“Book’em, Danno!”

Islander and her family used to watch the original “Hawaii 5-0” on TV back in the 1970s. The series lasted from 1968-1980 and starred Jack Lord as Detective Steve McGarrett. Thirty years later, in 2010, “Hawaii 5-0” was rebooted, with Alex O’Loughlin as the lead actor. Islander saw his co-stars, Scott Caan (Detective Danny “Danno” Williams) and Teilor Grubbs (who plays his daughter Grace) while they were filming a scene at the Hilton Hawaiian Village. She and a curious crowd waited around three hours to watch them but the final scene in the aired episode lasted three minutes!

Hawaii 5-0 - HI Cookery

We are gearing up to watch another season of “Hawaii 5-0” premiering this fall. The Hilton Hawaiian Village hosts viewing parties as well. Why not eat an aptly named trail mix while watching the episodes (or reruns)? There are only five ingredients in the “Hawaii 5-0” trail mix recipe so it is easy to make for a snack.

Also try this tasty tropical treat on National Trail Mix Day!

Recipe

(Adapted from “Cookgirl” via Food.com)

Ingredients

  • ½ cup dried pineapple, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons crystallized ginger, chopped
  • 6 mini Mounds chocolate-covered coconut candy bars
  • 1 cup macadamia nuts, roasted (wholes and halves)
  • 1 small bag taro chips (4-6 ounces)

Directions

Chop the dried pineapple and crystallized ginger into small pieces. Dice the Mounds candy bar into little bits. Place the pineapple, ginger and candy, along with the macadamia nuts, in a large bowl.

Hawaii 5-0 Trail Mix

Add the taro chips to the mix, breaking the larger chips into smaller pieces. Combine well and serve immediately. Or package them an airtight container until ready to eat.

Hawaii 5-0 Trail Mix

Notes

  • Find bags of taro chips by Terra Chips at mainland grocers.  Some specialty health/natural food stores and Asian markets might sell taro chips as well.
  • The final food photo of the tropical trail mix was taken against the backdrop of Islander’s “Hawaii 5-0” tee shirt.
  • Islander took the photos of the cast and crew while they were filming on the grounds of the Hilton Hawaiian Village on Aug. 29, 2012. The segment they were shooting was part of “Hawaii 5-0” season 3, episode 6, number 53. “I Ka Wa Mamua” (“In a Time Past”) aired on Nov. 12, 2012.
 

August 20, 2013

Lemonade Cake

Posted by HI Cookery under 08 August | Tags: , , , , |
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Lemonade Cake

Lemonade Cake

August 20: National Lemonade Day

Lemonade is summer’s quintessential thirst quencher. And when the temperatures rise to a scorching heat in South Texas, we definitely like to cool down with the tart and tasty citrus drink. Sure we support the neighborhood children whenever they open up their lemonade stands on the street corner. But what if the little entrepreneurs had a summer bake sale and offered slices of lemonade cake?!? That may be a creative idea (but perhaps too ambitious). Nevertheless, lemonade in a cake still makes a sweet summer treat, especially on National Lemonade Day!

Recipe

(Adapted from The Cake Mix Doctor Returns by Anne Byrn)

For the lemonade cake

  • 1 package (18.25 ounces) lemon cake mix
  • 1 ¼ cups water
  • 1/3 cup vegetable oil
  • 3 eggs
  • ¾ cup lemonade concentrate, thawed
  • ¾ cup powdered sugar

Directions

In a large bowl, combine the lemon cake mix with the water, vegetable oil and eggs. Mix until smooth. Pour into two 8-inch greased round cake pans. Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees F for 40 minutes, testing the cake for doneness. Remove from the oven and cool the cakes in the pan for about 15 minutes.

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-RvckgNVDnW8/URrBq_Fu_4I/AAAAAAAAFCQ/0xAof2J9NPE/s800/lemonadecakesteps1.jpg

Make the lemon glaze by mixing the lemonade concentrate with powdered sugar in a bowl until smooth. Poke holes in the warm cake with the tines of a fork. Drizzle the glaze on the cake, letting it seep through the holes. Cool the cakes completely. Invert one of the cakes onto a cake board or plate. Make the lemonade frosting.

Lemonade Cake

For the lemonade frosting

  • ½ cup (1 stick) butter, softened
  • 2 tablespoons lemonade concentrate, thawed (leftover from the cake recipe above)
  • 3+ cups powdered sugar
  • 2+ tablespoons water

Directions

In a mixing bowl, cream the butter with the lemonade. Gradually add the powdered sugar and beat until smooth. Thin with water for a spreadable consistency.

Lemonade Cake

Spread frosting on top of the bottom layer of the cake. Top with the second cake. Spread frosting on top layer and down the sides of the cake to crumbcoat. Chill in the refrigerator for half an hour to set.

Lemonade Cake

Frost or decorate as desired (we covered our cake in rosettes; refer to our blog post for the Mystical Rosette Cake for additional directions). Slice and serve the cake.

Lemonade Cake

Notes

  • We doubled the recipe for the lemonade frosting to crumbcoat and decorate the cake in rosettes. We tinted half of it with a lemon yellow color for the latter.
  • Try substituting pink lemonade and tinting the batter and frosting in pink for a different color cake.
  • Love lemons? Search our blog for other lemon recipes!

 

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