These were really just my take on a dorayaki sandwich. I wanted to do something wagashi-inspired, and I also wanted to try baking chiffon cake in circles, like a whoopie pie, so that’s how this dessert came about! I used kinako, a toasted soy bean powder, to flavor the actual chiffon cake itself, while I used a black rice cream and homemade mochi as my filling, since I did not want to make red bean paste from scratch, as it would take hours, and since mochi would be made with rice anyways, I decided to embrace the rice theme as both of my fillings! What you will have is a nutty, grain-filled experience, very similar to a dorayaki in the eating experience, but with a really fluffy cake instead of the denser pancakes! The cream is honestly very similar to a red bean paste, albeit less starchy, and more nutty, and with a softer consistency!

For the kinako chiffon:
1 egg yolk
2 tablespoons canola oil
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup kinako powder
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 egg whites
a pinch of salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Whisk your egg yolks with canola oil baking powder, and half of the sugar to ribbon stage. Fold into that mixture the kinako and flour. In another bowl, whip the whites with salt, vanilla, and the remaining sugar to stiff peaks. Fold the two mixtures together. Line a crumpet mold with some oil. Place the crumpet mold on a silicone-lined sheet tray. Fill the mold about 3/4 the way full with batter before removing and placing the mold down again, at least an inch and a half away from the first mound of batter. Repeat this again until you have 6 mounds. Bake at 350 degrees F for 12 minutes. Allow the cakes to cool down completely before removing from the tray.

For the black rice cream:
1/2 cup black rice
1 cup hot water
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 cup heavy cream

Puree together the rice and hot water until completely combined. Whisk together on medium-high heat with the other ingredients until completely thickened, and the rice is tender. Transfer into a bowl and refrigerate until needed.

For the mochi:
1/4 cup mochiko
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup water
a pinch of salt
Cornstarch

In a bowl, combine mochiko, sugar, water, and salt. Microwave for 1 minute. Transfer the mochi onto a cornstarch dusted surface and divide into nine pieces.

For assembly:
Kinako powder

Place the cooled down rice cream onto one chiffon piece, then place on three pieces of mochi, then the other chiffon piece. Repeat this with the other two sets of ingredients to form three chiffon sandwiches. Dust with the kinako to finish.