These Taro & Pitaya Mochi Croissants are a delicious and unique way to enjoy croissants. Sweetened taro and almond frangipane marry together with chewy mochi in this creative dessert/breakfast/snack! Best served fresh out of the oven.
My kids love croissants.
I think if they could eat one type of pastry for weeks on end, croissants would be it.
They love savoury Breakfast Turkey & Egg Croissants and classic bakery favorite Double-Baked Almond.
But, they wanted me to change it up a bit.
I came up with these Taro & Pitaya Mochi Croissants on a whim when I needed to use up some fresh taro I had on hand.
These Taro & Pitaya Mochi Croissants are a unique way to “fancify” regular store-bought croissants.
Why you’ll like this recipe
For ease and convenience, I’m using store-bought croissants.
You can certainly make your own croissants if you feel like it.
This is a great recipe for those day-old croissants that are just hanging around.
The filling is a sweetened taro, pitaya (dragonfruit) and almond frangipane with chewy homemade mochi.
What is taro?
Taro is a starchy root which is commonly confused with purple yam or purple sweet potato.
The interior is usually pale beige or lavender in colour with purple speckles.
You can find taro root in Asian supermarkets.
Recipes that use taro include:
How to cook taro
Peel and cut the taro in small chunks, and place it into a small bowl with a little splash of water.
Cover with a lid and microwave for 1-2 minutes, until fork tender.
What is pitaya?
Pitaya is also known as dragon fruit, which is a fruit common in Southeast Asia.
There are a few varieties of pitaya: yellow, red, and white.
Here, I am using red/pink pitaya powder just to add a pop of colour to the taro almond frangipane.
You can find pitaya powder online. Don’t worry if you don’t have pitaya powder on hand — it’s purely optional.
What is mochi?
Mochi is a sticky and chewy treat that is made from glutinous rice flour.
It is traditionally eaten around New Year’s, but nowadays, you can find mochi anytime.
I love mochi so much that I’ve got a few various recipes with it:
How to make it
Make the simple syrup:
In a small saucepan, combine ¼ C water with ¼ C granulated sugar.
Bring to a simmer over low heat until the sugar is dissolved.
Make the taro filling:
Cook the taro and mash it. Set aside and let it cool.
In a bowl, combine the softened butter, sugar, vanilla extract, and egg.
Add in the mashed taro, almond flour and pitaya/dragonfruit powder.
Make the mochi:
Combine the mochiko, sugar, and water in a shallow bowl. Give it a mix.
Cover with a lid and microwave for about 1 minute, 30 seconds, until translucent. Stir the mixture.
Divide the mochi mixture in half.
Assemble:
Preheat oven to 350F.
Slice a croissant in half.
Brush simple syrup on the insides of the croissants.
Spread the taro filling on the bottom half.
Add the ½ of the mochi on top of the taro filling.
Place the croissant “top” on.
Repeat with the remaining croissant.
Bake the croissants at 350F for 25-30 minutes, until golden in colour. (If the tops are browning too quickly, place a piece of aluminum foil over top).
Let the croissants cool and dust with powdered sugar before serving.
How to serve & store
The Taro & Pitaya Mochi Croissants are best enjoyed freshly made.
Because there is mochi in these croissants, they should be eaten on the same day.
Mochi hardens when it is it cool, so it’s not advisable to store them in the fridge.
However, if you cannot finish the croissants on the same day, you can store them in an airtight container.
Reheat the croissants by baking them in the oven at 350F for 8-10 minutes, until the mochi is warm.
FAQ’s
Can I make the croissants ahead of time?
They will taste much better when they’re freshly made.
Can I make them without mochi?
Sure, you can refer to my Easy Double-Baked Almond Croissants for more straightforward almond frangipane filling.
Do I need to use day-old croissants?
You can use fresh, but day-old works best for this application.
Do I need to add pitaya powder?
No, it’s purely for the pop of pink colour in the filling.
What does pitaya taste like?
It has a neutral, slightly sweet taste.
Other recipes you may like
Be sure to check out these other recipes:
Easy Double-Baked Almond Croissants
Hojicha Brochi (Brownie Mochi)
Let me know if you try out my recipe for Taro & Pitaya Mochi Croissants! Tag me on Instagram @siftandsimmer or leave me a comment/rating below.
Taro & Pitaya Mochi Croissants
For accuracy and precision in baking recipes, use weight (metric) measurements when available.
Ingredients
- 2 croissants preferably day-old
Simple syrup:
- ¼ C granulated sugar
- ¼ C water
Taro filling:
- 30 g cooked taro mashed
- 18 g salted butter softened
- 60 g granulated sugar
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- 50 g almond flour
- 1 tsp pitaya/dragonfruit powder optional
Mochi:
- 70 g mochiko (glutinous rice flour)
- 15 g granulated sugar
- 100 g water
Garnish:
- 2 Tbsp flaked almonds
- 1 tsp powdered sugar
Instructions
Make the simple syrup:
- In a small saucepan, combine ¼ C water with ¼ C granulated sugar.
- Bring to a simmer over low heat until the sugar is dissolved.
Make the taro filling:
- Cook the taro and mash it. Set aside and let it cool.
- In a bowl, combine the softened butter, sugar, vanilla extract, and egg.
- Add in the mashed taro, almond flour and pitaya/dragonfruit powder.
Make the mochi:
- Combine the mochiko, sugar, and water in a shallow bowl. Give it a mix.
- Cover with a lid and microwave for about 1 minute, 30 seconds, until translucent. Stir the mixture.
- Divide the mochi mixture in half.
Assemble:
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Slice a croissant in half.
- Brush simple syrup on the inside of the croissant.
- Spread the taro filling on the bottom half, reserving 2 tsp for the tops.
- Add the ½ of the mochi on top of the taro filling.
- Place the croissant "top" on.
- Spread the remaining taro filling on top and sprinkle with flaked almonds.
- Repeat with the remaining croissant.
- Bake the croissants at 350°F for 25-30 minutes, until golden in colour. (If the tops are browning too quickly, place a piece of aluminum foil over top).
- Remove from oven and let cool.
- Add a dusting of powdered sugar and serve freshly made.
Nutrition
The nutritional information provided should be considered as approximate and is not guaranteed. Please use your best judgment to ensure food is safely prepared and/or a good fit for your diet.
I absolutely love croissants, too – just like your kids! No matter how you serve ’em, I’m all in. I do really enjoy croissants filled with vanilla pastry cream, and this recipe is reminiscent of that – but totally different flavors. The taro + mochi combination intrigues me. It sounds tasty! I’m pretty sure these croissants would disappear magically in our house! 🙂
Thanks David — how funny, I don’t think I’ve had croissants with vanilla pastry cream before! Donuts, yes, but not croissants… I’ll have to try that soon!
These are so stunning, Michelle! I’ve never made a croissant but it’s on my to-do list. Now I might need to make this fancier version! 🙂
Thank you Katherine! 🙂
Your beautiful photos make me do every single dish you publish. I am used to make croissants at home and must try this interesting twist ! Thank you !
Hope you give them a try, Davorka! 🙂
Oh my goodness that looks so good Michelle! I love anything with mochi.
Thanks Christie!
Your beautiful croissants are simply irresistible with that totally scrumptious filling!
Wow, that is one heck of a creation, totally unique. Never thought of combining taro, pitaya, mochi and croissants in one dish. I totally love this
Thanks Raymund! The flavours are definitely unique 🙂
Beautiful creation!
Thank you kindly, Linsey! 🙂