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Mooncakes

Mooncakes are a popular Chinese bakery treat during the Mid-Autumn Moon Festival when they are shared with family and friends. You only need a few ingredients for the dough and a filling (I used lotus and red bean paste). They're easy to make, but you need to allow time for the dough to rest after you make it as well as time for the cakes to sit at room temperature to soften to the right texture.
Servings: 5 mooncakes
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
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Ingredients

  • 60 grams golden syrup, (see note)
  • 1/2 tsp alkaline water, (see note)
  • 28 grams vegetable oil
  • 100 grams about 3/4 cup all purpose flour
  • 325 grams premade lotus paste or red bean paste , or other filling of your choice
  • 1 large egg, beaten (for eggwash)

Instructions
 

  • In a large bowl, mix the golden syrup, alkaline water, and oil. Sift in the flour and stir until all ingredients mixed. Gently knead the dough with hands until it comes together. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rest for 40 minutes.  
  • Take 35 grams of dough, roll into a ball, then flatten with a rolling pin. Roll until dough is very thin and big enough to wrap around the 65 gram of filling. Take 65 gram of filling, make into a ball and put in the center of the dough. Wrap dough around the filling until it is a thin layer covering the entire filling, and seal dough around filling. You may need to roll and maneuver the dough a little to completely cover the filling. One side of your dough ball will be somewhat lumpy from connecting the ends together. The other side should be smooth. 
  • Choose the desired face plate and connect to plastic mold. Place lumpy side in first, so that is the side that touches the face plate. Press on the plastic lever hard to make a sharp impression, remove pressure and slowly the mooncake will pop out. Repeat with remaining dough and filling. You should be able to make five 100 gram cakes, with a little bit of dough left over.
  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Place mooncakes on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or silpat mat, spacing about 2 inches apart. Bake for about 20-25 minutes. About five minutes before mooncakes are ready, remove and quickly brush the mooncake tops with egg wash. Place back in oven and bake until golden brown, about 5-10 minutes.
  • Let mooncakes cool. Place in a container and let sit for about 2 days. This will allow the mooncake skin to soften and become darker and developer a shiny exterior from the oils being released.

Notes

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The nutrition information provided are only estimates based on an online nutritional calculator. This is not a comprehensive list of all the nutrients in the recipe (i.e., does not include vitamins, cholesterol, etc). I am not a certified nutritionist. Please consult a nutritionist or doctor for accurate information and any dietary restrictions and concerns you may have.
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