Mochi Yummy dessert | Food Product

It would be Mochi - that popular Japanese snack made of pounded glutinous rice filled with bean paste or even ice cream, then molded into balls. Mochi has been rolling its sweet squishy selves to our yummy dessert menus, thanks to a young entrepreneur who took a chance on these delectable jewels.

Maria Gorre graduated from the University of Asia and the Pacific in 2005 with a major in BS Information Technology. “I have always been interested in the culinary arts but never had the means to pursue that line of education. During college, I would sell an assortment of baked yummy desserts during Christmas. Upon graduating, I really thought about whether I should take the IT career path or pursue a long time dream and have a food-related business. In the end, I chose to take that risk and become an entrepreneur,” Maria shares. She was then advised by her sister Ingrid to start small and to work her way up. And with her sister’s P10,000 loan, Dezâto Mochi was born.

But with consumers who have always been partial to western, already glorified yummy desserts, given the cupcake frenzy and the staple chocolate cake, why Mochi?

Maria says, “I knew I needed a product that was new and interesting. So when Ingrid was abroad, I asked her to pick up some interesting things… some undiscovered yummy desserts that weren't being sold here. I've always been a fan of Mochi (particularly the ice-cream variety) but could not find any in local Japanese stores, restaurants, or baked shops that offer just as yummy desserts. So when my sister came back from the States, she brought home these chocolate-filled Mochi which I found to be so delicious. I then tried to make some for myself and my family.”

“I researched Mochi recipes online, attempting to achieve the right consistency. I think I had about a hundred failed batches of Mochi that I almost gave up. Until one day I finally perfected it,” Maria cheerfully states. She then began marketing her products to friends and family and with the ever-so-powerful word of mouth, a write up by food blogger Lori Baltazar and features in Metro Magazine and The Philippine Daily Inquirer, more and more true yummy dessert aficionados wanted to have a taste of these fascinating confections.

To date, there are five Mochi flavors. Originals would be milk chocolate with cocoa powder, dark chocolate (best-seller), and white chocolate with walnuts. Also available are milk chocolate with peanut butter, and white chocolate with green tea. Newer concoctions would be Dezâto’s Mochi ice cream with your choice of green tea, coffee, or strawberry. Hazelnut, coffee, and liqueur infused varieties are in the works.

Each filling is pillowed inside the glutinous rice cake –formed into a truffle shape and then steamed to gooey perfection –a certified yummy dessert!

Dezâto Mochi now has its very own kiosk at SM Makati. Maria hopes of expanding this year and after that, having a café or tea house with savory Mochi on its menu. Exporting her Mochi is also on Maria’s list. Now others overseas can get a chance to sink their sweet tooth into these soft spheres down to their irresistible core.