To start the chocolate truffles, first chop the dark chocolate by using a bread knife. Cut the butter into smaller pieces. Combine the chopped chocolate and the butter into a large bowl. Then, in a small saucepan over medium heat, bring the heavy cream just to a boil. Remove from the heat immediately. Pour the cream into the chocolate along with the rum and vanilla, if using and stir until the mixture is completely smooth.

Transfer the mixture into a glass baking dish. Chill for 30 minutes or until the ganache is firm enough to form a ball.

To shape the ganache, prepare the cocoa powder for dusting and a plate with parchment paper. Bring out the chilled ganache, and with a spoon, scrape the ganache to about the size of a teaspoon. Then shape the ganache with the palm of your hands into balls. Place in the parchment-lined plate. Make 15 more pieces of ganache balls and chill while you prepare the mochi dough. Store the leftover ganache in a covered container in the fridge.

To start your mise en place, prepare the following: a large cutting board or a sheet pan, a strainer with bowl underneath (for the rice flour or cornstarch), a pastry brush, a large knife or pastry scraper, plate dusted with flour/starch and a silicone spatula.

Dust your cutting board or sheet pan with flour/starch (through the strainer) before starting.

To prepare the mochi mixture, combine the flour and sugar in a heatproof glass bowl. Stir to combine. Then add the water slowly and mix with a spatula or wooden spoon and stir until the rice flour has dissolved. Cover the bowl with saran wrap.

To cook the mochi mixture, place the bowl in the microwave oven and cook for 2 minutes on high. Then, with a wet silicone spatula, stir the dough and put it back in the microwave oven for another 2 minutes until the mixture is very thick and translucent.

Some people cook the dough up to 6 minutes. But that depends on your microwave oven.

To steam the dough, place the bowl in a prepared steamer and cover with cloth. Steam the mixture for about 12-15 minutes, stirring once or twice until the dough is thick and translucent.

When the mochi is ready, scoop out the dough with wet silicone spatula onto the floured surface. You can also use two wet large spoons to transfer it.

When the mochi is ready, scoop out the dough with wet silicone spatula onto the floured surface. You can also use two wet large spoons to transfer it.

Then, dust the mochi mixture with more rice flour. With two floured hands, flatten the dough into a rectangular shape. Be careful the dough is hot. You can also use a rolling pin. Then cut the dough with a pastry scraper into 16 equal pieces.

To make the chocolate mochi, grab a piece of dough and stretch the sides. Brush off the excess flour from the dough using a pastry brush. Then place one piece of ganache ball in the center, gather the dough and press together to seal. Roll the balls on the counter or the palm of your hands to make a smooth round. Dust the excess flour/starch from the mochi and coat with cocoa powder.

Place the chocolate mochi seam side down on a plate. Repeat with the rest of the chocolate mochi.

If the chocolate mochi is too soft to the touch, chill them first before eating. Serve mochi at room temperature with vanilla rooibos tea.