Kinako-Injeolmi Roll Cake

• Prepare a baking pan (17cm * 28cm * 3cm). Line with parchment paper. You can simply use aluminum foil to form any custom size.

To prepare Mochi:

• In a bowl, add glutinous rice bowl, corn starch, sugar, and water/milk. Mix well until no clumps.
• Add vegetable oil and mix well.
• Steam the mixture with high heat for 15-20 minutes or until cooked. There should be no liquid floating.
• Use a fork and mix the mochi mixture to break it apart. Put it in the freezer for 5-10 minutes or until lukewarm.
• Once cool down, knead the mochi for 5-10 minutes or until the mochi surface is smooth. This process allows your mochi to have a chewy texture.
• Wrap the mochi with plastic wrap. Put it in the fridge for 30 minutes.

To prepare Cake Batter:

• Preheat the oven to 180 °C or 356 °F.
• Separate egg yolks and egg whites into two separate bowls. Put the egg whites in the fridge.
• In a small ramekin, combine kinako and hot water. If there is not enough hot water, add a little bit more until it forms into a kinako paste. Set aside.
• In a separate bowl, sift all-purpose flour. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, add sugar (8g) into the egg yolks. Whisk until sugar is dissolved, and the batter becomes yellowish-white.
• Whisk in vegetable oil. Mix well.
• Sift the flour again. Slowly add the dry ingredients interchangeably with coconut milk into the yolk batter. Use a whisk and mix until everything is combined with no lumps. Do not over-mix it.
• Add the kinako batter. Mix until combine.
• Bring out the egg white from the fridge. Whisk the egg whites at low speed, allowing small stabilizing bubbles to form. Add in the sugar (35g) gradually and whisk at a high speed until stiff peak forms.
• Put 1/3 of the meringue into the yolk batter. Gently mix them until combine.
• Gently mix the batter with the remaining yolk batter, until combine.
• Pour the batter into the mold. Tap the pan lightly to get rid of any trapped air bubbles in the batter.
• Bake for 12-15 minutes in the preheated oven. Meanwhile, prepare a parchment letter that is large enough to cover the cake. Set aside.
• Once it is baked, bring the cake out immediately. Carefully invert warm cake onto a piece of parchment backed by a solid surface like a large cutting board. Peel off parchment paper backing carefully. Place back the peeled-off parchment paper and flip the cake over.
• Let the cake cool for about 15-20 minutes or until it is lukewarm to the touch.

To prepare Red Bean Whipped Cream:

• Add the red bean paste into the whipping cream. Whisk until a stiff peak is formed. You can try to see if you want to add more red bean paste at this point to adjust the flavor.
• Place in the fridge until it is ready to use.

To Assemble:

• You can be creative with what you want to add to the cake. I first cut off the crispy edges of the cake.
• Spread a thin layer of red bean paste over the entire cake, leaving about 2cm bare at the far end.
• Spread a thin layer of the red bean whipped cream over the red bean paste.
• On the side, shape the mochi to a cylinder shape and make sure its length is around 15cm, which is the length of the roll cake. Pour some kinako out and coat the mochi with it.
• Add the kinako-coated mochi about 6-7cm away from the edge that you are about to roll from (not the bare side).
• Cover the mochi entirely with more whipped cream. So you can be more generous and heavy-handed with the whipped cream.
• Carefully roll the cake with the help of parchment paper. Make sure you roll over the mochi, so the mochi will be in the center of the cake. Roll it tightly and wrap it with parchment paper. Place in the fridge for at least 1 hour.
• Ready to serve. Dust it with kinako powder on the cake to serve.