Desserts by mom
I'm still waking up from this food coma. The thing about holiday season is that it's so darn cold and eating keeps you warm. Yes, I've heard about those things called 'sweaters' but come on. Food versus... some yarn. I'll take the pastry along with some hot chocolate or tea please. When I was home for Thanksgiving, my mom had a bunch of pastries My Aunt brought some over from Chicago too, but that'll go in a different post. Mom made three things: mini pecan tarts (that aren't pictured), daifukus (pictured above), and Taiwanese pine apple cakes or fong li su.
At my house, we just call these things mochis, although I guess technically they're called daifuku. Basically it's glutinous rice cake with a red bean paste filling. If you've never had one, you can probably buy one at your local Japanese grocery store. I'm not actually sure how mom makes it but I've seen her do it before, so I know she didn't just buy 'em in bulk and put a bunch in a plastic tupperware.
The powder you see on top of the mochi ball is yellow bean powder. I'm not actually sure what the hell yellow bean powder is, but that's a direct translation from Mandarin. Go figure, maybe I need help with my Chinese.
The other cool thing Mom made were these pineapple cake thingies. They're really popular in Taiwan and if there is a Chinatown near you, you can pick up these things in Chinese grocery stores. Basically it's shortbread in a little square, and on the inside there's pineapple jam filling. I can eat like.. 4 of these in one sitting and not feel anything. Maybe around 8 I get full. But that's probably not too healthy.
You can see that Mom made a bunch of these things. They're yummy. I don't know what else to tell you besides that if you like short bread and pineapple, you will like these things. I couldn't actually eat 8 of them in one sitting because mom was all like, "You eat too much crap. Hamburgers, cupcakes, WTF?" Ok, she didn't actually say WTF because mom is not web 2.0 like that. But between her and my aunt telling me that I've aged 10 yrs, I'm beginning to feel kinda old.
The bright spot about being old is that instead of exercising I just sat on my ass and watched TV for four days. Now I'm all caught up on the happenings of Seattle Grace hospital and the bloody dealings of Dexter. Someone told me to start on Gossip girl in December, but that would be too just too much.
Hey, just came across your blog. The pineapple cakes look great! I was wondering, where did your mom get the molds to shape the pineapple cakes? Thanks for your help.
Liz
October 2, 2010 4:12 pm
If you start Gossip Girl, you will have all of your Man Cards removed, shredded, stomped on, and I will point and laugh. Then you will owe ME man cards, even though I shouldn't have any to begin with... anywayyyys...
DUDE YOUR MOM MAKES DAIFUKU?! Can she adopt me (and teach me Mandarin)? Cry.
Yvo
December 2, 2008 1:22 pm
I LOVE LOVE LOVE those mochi things with red bean inside. I wish I could learn how to make them as well!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! *drool*
ambitious
December 2, 2008 1:55 pm
seriously, gossip girl? you didn't take pictures of the pecan tarts?
Ang
December 2, 2008 3:18 pm
I can't believe your mom makes fong li su from scratch. My brother and I are obsessed with those things. Amazing.
Steph
December 2, 2008 7:30 pm
Your mom may be my new hero.
Oh, and, Gossip Girl is the awesome. Don't hate on GG.
Jonathan
December 2, 2008 9:10 pm
where's mine?!?! didn't any make it home??
Can anyone recommend a good place for the bean paste buns? I've had them, but never loved them. I feel a need to give them another try.
Janice
Janice
December 2, 2008 10:45 pm
FOng Li Su! woohoo .. i like the strawberry jam filling ones. Great gain of 5lbs+ ... time to work it out as a New Years resolution? lol
Steve
December 3, 2008 1:15 am
Can I have your mom? My mom can't cook -=(
wonders
December 3, 2008 10:15 am
Love the mochi/daifuku!
I want some!!!!
(I want to learn to make them.. tell your mom to give you the recipe STAT!)
Jessica
December 3, 2008 10:34 am
WOW, your mom is good!!! I love those mochi and pineapple tart (I usually call it "nastar"). I think I can eat more than 8 pineapple tarts in one seating, the size is smaller though :P
Mitzy
December 3, 2008 3:52 pm
I am intrigued by these daifuku things you speak of. I will be going to my local Chinese supermarket (yes, I have a Chinese and a Korean supermarket within walking distance; it's sort of awesome) and will ask for said things. Watch Gossip Girl while at the gym exercising. You can claim "it's the only thing on!"
Blondie
December 3, 2008 10:48 pm
In Hawai'i we call the yellow bean powder, "kinako"...not sure if that's a common term or just something we crazies in Hawai'i call it, haha. The pineapple cakes look AWESOME - I've never met anyone who actually made those. Impressive! I grew up eating the ones out of plastic boxes. Good seeing you over lunch the other day! Hope the drumstick fared well on the walk to the subway ^_^
Kathy
December 4, 2008 1:03 pm
I just tried one of those pineapple things for the first time yesterday—FA-BU-LOUS, and I don't even like pineapple. Yum yum yum. I could totally eat an entire box and not feel a thing, I swear...
And trust me, I fought against Gossip Girl, but alas. Look where I am now. I'm an addict. (And psst, all the episodes are available online for free... heh...)
Emily
December 4, 2008 6:57 pm
I'd be interested to know how your mother makes the daifuku. Those are my favorite snacks! Usually we just buy them from the local Asian store.
Lena
December 5, 2008 8:21 pm
feng li su is my favorite dessert. whenever i go to taiwan i gorge on them! your mom is awesome.
kate
March 7, 2011 9:46 pm
Can you please track down the recipes? I wouldn't buy pineapple cake here...they're all dry and crumbly. Actually, the only pineapple cake I like is Chia Te's from Taiwan. It's too far from here though!
Jessica "Su Good Sweets"
March 15, 2011 3:43 pm