Mochi balls with red bean filling

To make the filling, purée the kidney beans and 25g of the icing sugar with 1tbsp water in a blender – you can add up to 3tbsp more water if needed to start blending. Transfer to a pan and cook over a low heat for 10 mins, stirring constantly, until it forms a very thick paste. Put in a bowl and chill in the fridge until firm.

Generously dust a shallow dish with cornflour.

To make the mochi dough, whisk the rice flour and remaining icing sugar with 150ml water. Cook in a pan over a medium heat for 5-8 mins, stirring continuously, until it forms a thick paste. Transfer to the floured dish and leave until it is cool enough to handle.

Dust a work surface with cornflour. Cut the dough into 10 pieces. Roll each piece out into a 7cm circle. Keep adding cornflour to the surface and the dough so they don’t get sticky.

To make a mochi ball, take 1 level tbsp of the bean filling and roll it into a ball. Place it in the middle of a dough circle, stretch the dough up and around the filling, then pinch it closed at the top, before gently rolling it around in your hands to form a ball. Repeat until you have 10 filled mochi balls.

Scatter the sesame seeds on a small plate then roll 5 of the mochi balls in them, to cover. Serve in mini cupcake cases. Mochi is best eaten on the day you make it.