The Absolute Perfect Treat You Can Prep In 10 Minutes: Ube Mochi Brownies
Dear friends,
My pinoy husband loves brownies and cookies and he lamented the fact he couldn’t have any of the ones I recently made for the kids at our son’s school. So to make it up for my sweet-tooth honey, I made a batch of ube mochi brownies.
Ok, that’s only a half-truth because I made these brownies to spite someone online, someone who recently commented on my ube Rice Krispies treats post that they’re “so sick and tired of ube stuff.”
“Im so sick and tired of seeing ube stuff”
Well, I’m sick and tired of people complaining about free recipes and content online
Why anyone is sick of this beautiful purple tuber and treats made with it is beyond me. And I realize something about myself. I can be pretty petty.
Ube mochi brownies | Image Credit: Kat Lieu
I made brownies to spite a stranger online and they probably won’t even see this! Now, I can analyze myself all day, but I know you’re here for these mochi brownies. So let’s talk brownies.
I’m sure if this recipe goes viral, there will be people who point out that these are in fact blondies rather than brownies.
I don’t really care. I’m going to call them brownies. The outside has that fun brown shiny and sugar crust, like brownies. But once you bite in, oh man, you’re going to think, is this a sponge cake? Wait, it’s quite toothsome and chewy. Is it boba? Mochi? It’s like all of those, plus brownies and cake, with the alluring and distinctive caramelized-vanilla-esque flavor of ube halaya and ube extract.
It’s a beautifully purple treat and I bet you even the haters will be converted.
What makes the cake spongey is that we’re blending eggs at high speeds in the blender, whipping lots of air into it, and then adding baking powder. Don’t skip the baking powder, ok?
And finally, before you bake the brownies, be sure to top them with something. My something is a handful of white chocolate chips because I feel chocolate-chocolate chips would just get lost in that sea of purple.
A relatively easy recipe, that you can also whisk up by hand or with a stand mixer if you don’t have a blender. And I’ve provided you will all the vegan alts to keep the treat vegan. Just be sure to check all labels, especially your miso, because not all miso is both vegan and gluten free.
Happy Holidays and happy baking, Fam!
XOXOXO,
Kat Lieu
How To Store
The main enemies of this mochi are air (which makes it hard and stale) and refrigeration (which makes it hard and alters its texture).
Short-Term Storage (Up to 2-3 Days at Room Temp)
Cool Completely: Let the mochi cool completely to room temperature on a wire rack after baking. Trapped heat will create steam and make the top sticky.
Airtight Container: Place the cooled, uncut mochi block or individual pieces in an airtight container.
Store at Room Temperature: Keep the container in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight. The mochi's texture will be at its best for about 2-3 days this way.
Fridge/Freezer Storage
Not Recommended For Refrigeration or Freezing. The refrigerator is the worst place for this type of mochi. The cold temperature causes the starches to recrystallize, making the mochi hard, gritty, and unpleasantly chewy. Only refrigerate if your kitchen is extremely hot and humid, and be prepared to bring it to gently heat it before eating to improve the texture.
Happy Baking! - Sharon Hsu (@SparkleCakerie)
