Salted caramel hojicha mochi

Soak 250 g of jumbo white beans overnight, changing the water 3 times

Place 10 large dates into a pan and cover with lukewarm water. Cook over medium heat for 10m until they soften, and place them on a baking sheet. Reserve the cooking liquid

Let the dates sit for 5m at room temperature to cool down

Remove the skins and seeds from the dates

Place the pulp inside a blender. Add 50 g of coconut oil, 2 pinches of salt, and 1 tbsp of the date’s cooking liquid

Blend until it reaches a completely smooth paste-like consistency. If needed, add more of the cooking liquid to achieve this texture. The vegan salted caramel is ready

Peel off the skin of the beans by hand

Add the beans to a saucepan with water over high heat and bring to a boil. Drain the beans and rinse them

Add the beans to a saucepan with boiling water. When the water returns to a boil, drain and rinse the beans. Repeat this procedure until the water runs clear

Add the beans to a saucepan and cover them with three times as much water. Cook over medium heat until the beans start to break down

Quarter, remove the seeds, and small dice 2 small apples

Transfer the apples to a skillet and add ½ tbsp of cinnamon powder. Sautée over medium heat for 5m until they are completely cooked

Transfer the cooked apples to a baking sheet and leave at room temperature for 10m to cool down

Drain the beans and reserve the liquid. Let the liquid sit until the solids settle. Discard the upper part

Add the beans and the remaining bean liquid to a blender. Blend until it is a silky paste

Transfer the paste to a saucepan over medium heat and add 200 g of white sugar in 2 batches. Mix to combine

Cook the mixture, stirring constantly, until it becomes a firm paste. Remove from the heat and add salt to taste. The shiroan is ready

Boil water in a pot with a steaming basket over high heat

Place 1 tbsp of the Shiroan over a sheet of cling film and flatten it with your fingers. Add 1 tbsp of the Salted Date Spread and 1 tbsp of the apples

Use the cling film to gently wrap the apples with the Shiroan, leaving the top uncovered. Repeat it to create 5 more portions and reserve

Add 70 g of glutinous rice flour to a bowl. Add 70 ml of water gradually, stirring in between additions until the dough no longer sticks

Add 30 g of powdered sugar and 1 tsp of finely ground hojicha tea. Mix well

Place the bowl inside the steaming basket and cover with a lid. Steam the dough for 5m until it softens. Remove from the steamer

Stir the dough to loosen it up a bit

Put the bowl back in the steamer for 5m to soften the dough. Remove from steamer

Pound the dough with a wooden spoon until it becomes elastic

Dust a working surface with tapioca starch and place the dough on top of it

Dust your hands with the starch and cover the dough with it. Divide the warm dough into 6 pieces and flatten them gently with your fingers. The hojicha mochi dough is ready

Place the wrapped apples in the center of the Hojicha Mochi Dough. Bring the dough all the way to the bottom of the paste, wrapping it. Pinch the dough to close it and brush off the excess starch

The salted caramel hojicha mochi is ready! Enjoy!