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Category: |
Category: |
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Mooncake |
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Ingredients: |
Ingredients: Dough for 4 mooncakes:
1/4 cup Golden Syrup
1/3 tsp alkaline water
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1/2 cup flour
Egg Wash: beat lightly
2 Tbsp water
1 egg
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Directions: |
Directions:Dough Preparation :
1. Mix golden syrup, alkaline water and oil well.
2. Place flour in a bowl or on table top. Make a well in the center of the flour.
3. Gradually stir in golden syrup, alkaline water and oil mixture. Mix well to produce smooth dough. Do not over work the dough.
4 Cover with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator for at least three hours or overnight.
Mooncake Preparation:
Preheat oven to 250*F.
1. Crack salted eggs and separate egg yolk from egg white. Clean off egg white from yolk.
2. For Large Wooden mold: Use ~ 5/8 cup Lotus or Red Bean paste filling and ~ 1/3 cup dough. Amount of filling and size of dough should scale to individual molds used.
3. Roll desired paste filling into a ball between your palms.
4. Weigh egg yolk. Remove equal weight of Lotus or Red Bean paste filling for each egg yolk used.
5. If using salted egg yolk, press each paste ball with your thumb to make a depression and insert yolk and gather edges of paste around yolk to seal it.
6. Place dough between 2 pieces of plastic wrap, roll out with wooden stick. Large enough to wrap around the paste
ball. Mold dough lightly into ball.
7. Lightly flour the inside of the mold. Press the dough ball with seam side up into the mold.
8. Flatten the dough with your palm, dough to conform to shape of mold and press.
9. Tap mold gently on each side and then turn mold over. Quick hard tap at end of mold to dislodge mooncake and place on baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
10. Spray mooncake lightly with water prior to placing in oven.
11. Bake at 250º on middle rack for 15 minutes. Rotate baking sheet.
12. Increase oven temp to 275º and bake for another 10 minutes.
13. Remove tray and lightly brush top of cakes with beaten egg.
14. Bake at 300º for another 15 minutes or until very light golden brown. The dough will darken when cool. *Baking time and temperature may need to be adjusted
15. Allow mooncake to mellow at room temperature for 1-2 days before eating. |
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Golden Syrup |
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Ingredients: |
Ingredients: 1 1/4 cups sugar
3/4 cup water
1/4 lemon rind and juice
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Directions: |
Directions:1. Mix all ingredients together and boil over medium heat until sugar dissolves.
2. Reduce heat and simmer for 1-2 hours without stirring until mixture is caramelized and golden brown.
3. Reduce to 1 cup and consistency of honey.
4. Cool and pour into airtight glass container and store in a cool dry place.
5. Allow 3-4 days for the golden syrup to mature.
6. For best results, prepare syrup at least 2-3 weeks in advance.
7. Can be kept for several months in the refrigerator.
Note: Alternatively, you can purchase Lyle's Golden Syrup at Andronico's.
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Mooncake Filling - Lotus Seed Paste |
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Ingredients: |
Ingredients: 1/2 cup Lotus seeds
4 Tbsp Oil
3/4 cup Granulated or Brown Sugar
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Directions: |
Directions:Note: Adjust sugar and oil amount for your own taste. More oil will yield a smoother paste.
1. Cover lotus seeds with water and soak for 4 hours then drain. Open seed, remove sprouts and remove the dark brown tip using a paring knife.
2. Place cleaned seeds with 2 cups water in a pot.
3. Bring to a boil and simmer for 1 hour. Turn off fire and leave in pot overnight.
4. Next day, bring lotus seeds to a boil using med heat. Skim off foam. Turn off fire after it boils.
5. Drain lotus seeds and reserve 51/2 cups (100 ml) liquid to use when blending.
6. Blend seeds using an immersion blender or food processor. Add enough liquid to produce a smooth paste/mash. The more liquid you add the longer it will take to cook to form dough.
7. Add 1 Tbsp oil to heated non-stick wok/pan.
8. On medium heat add lotus seed mash to wok and stir until oil is incorporated.
9. Add another 1 Tbsp oil incorporate until well blended and smooth. Repeat adding 1Tbsp oil increments, stir to incorporate, until all oil is used.
10. Continue to stir until paste will not stick to wok. Takes about 30 to 45 minutes.
11. Add sugar and a pinch of salt to smooth paste and continue stirring until sugar melts and dough is form and leave sides of pan. Takes about 60-90 minutes. Do not let paste sit on wok without stirring. If you do, a dry crust will form.
12. Wrap lotus dough in plastic wrap, let cool and place in refrigerator overnight. |
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Mooncake Filling - Red Bean Paste |
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Ingredients: |
Ingredients: 1 can (18 oz) sweetened Red Bean Paste (Companion Brand)
4 Tbsp Vegetable oil
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Directions: |
Directions:1. On medium heat, add paste and 1 Tbsp oil to heated non-stick wok.
2. Continue to stir until oil is incorporated.
3. Add oil in 1 Tbsp increments and incorporate until well blended and smooth. Continue to stir until paste is firm and does not stick to wok. Takes about 60-90 minutes.
4. Wrap red bean dough in plastic wrap, let cool and place in refrigerator overnight. |
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Mooncake Filling - Salted Egg |
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Ingredients: |
Ingredients: 12 Duck or Chicken eggs
1 cup Sea or Rock salt
4 cups Water
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Directions: |
Directions:1. Rinse eggs and drain well. Make sure eggs are not cracked. Set aside.
2. Put water and salt in a sauce pan.
3. Bring to a boil.
4. Turn off fire once salt is completely dissolved.
5. Let cool completely.
6. Use clean glass container, carefully arrange egg in container.
7. Pour salted water into container to cover eggs.
8. Place a small sauce plate on top of eggs to keep eggs from floating to the surface.
9. Tightly cover container and place at room temperature. Takes about 30-40 days.
10. After 30 days, take one egg and check if yolk is firm.
11. If firm, rinse with fresh water, drain and wipe dry.
12. Keep in egg carton and place in fridge. It will last for a few weeks.
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Personal
Notes: |
Personal
Notes: Clara Lee taught a Chi Am Circle cooking class in September 2013 on "How to make Traditional Chinese Mooncakes" in time for the Chinese Mid-Autumn Moon Festival. Mooncakes are round traditional Chinese desserts with various fillings and different artistic patterns on the surface depicting the legends of the festival. The Mid-Autumn Moon Festival is a time for family reunion, and “round” has a similar Chinese pronunciation with “reunion”. During the festival, people sacrifice these desserts to the moon as offerings, eat them for celebration and present them to relatives and friends for good luck wishes.
Mooncake wooden molds can be purchased on www.wokshop.com. To clean, use water and let dry overnight. Prior to using, brush mold insides with a food grade mineral oil and let dry overnight.
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This recipe for Chinese Mooncakes is from