Mid Autumn Of Love Mooncake Recipe

Prepare lotus seeds

Rinse the dried lotus seeds, remove any green shoots (bitter cores) and soak them in 2 cups cold water for 4–6 hours or overnight until softened.

Cook lotus seeds

Drain the soaked seeds, place them in a pot, cover with fresh water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 30–40 minutes until very soft and breaking apart. Drain, reserving a little cooking liquid if needed.

Blend to paste

While still warm, transfer seeds to a food processor or blender and pulse to a smooth paste. Add 1–2 tablespoons of the reserved cooking liquid if needed to help blending. Aim for a thick, smooth paste.

Sweeten and cook down

In a nonstick skillet or heavy saucepan over medium-low heat, combine the lotus paste and granulated sugar. Stir constantly until sugar dissolves and paste thickens (5–8 minutes).

Incorporate fats and finish

Lower heat to low and add vegetable oil, lard, and 1/4 tsp salt. Cook, stirring and pressing the paste against the pan, until it starts to pull away from the sides and becomes smooth and glossy (15–20 minutes). Taste and adjust salt/sugar. Remove from heat and let cool completely. If using salted egg yolks, prepare separately and wrap when assembling (see below). This yields enough paste for about 6 medium mooncakes (approx. 60–70 g paste each without yolk).

If using salted egg yolks: preheat oven to 175°C (350°F). Rinse packaged salted eggs and pat dry. Bake whole eggs on a tray for 5–7 minutes to set yolks slightly. Crack and separate yolks carefully. Alternatively, steam whole eggs for 3–4 minutes. Let yolks cool; each mooncake uses one yolk. If yolks are very moist, gently pat dry and lightly brush with a little oil before wrapping so they do not rehydrate the paste.

Make syrup mixture

In a bowl, combine golden syrup and vegetable oil. Dissolve the alkaline water into the syrup mixture and whisk until uniform. Stir in 1/8 tsp salt.

Form dough

Sift the all-purpose flour into a large bowl. Make a well in the center and pour the syrup-oil mixture in. Using a spatula, fold until a shaggy dough forms. When it comes together, knead gently for about 1 minute until smooth. Do not over-knead. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and rest at room temperature for 45–60 minutes. Resting allows the flour to hydrate and the dough to relax.

Portion dough and filling

Decide target mooncake weight. For 6 medium mooncakes (~120–140 g each), weigh dough and paste so the ratio skin:filling is about 1:2 by weight. For example: divide lotus paste into six portions (~60–70 g each). Divide dough into six portions (~30–35 g each). Lightly dust work surface with the reserved 2 tbs flour to prevent sticking.

Wrap filling

Flatten a dough portion into a thin disc with your fingers or a rolling pin. Place a portion of lotus paste in the center (and a salted yolk if using). Gently wrap the dough around the filling, sealing seams and rolling into a smooth ball. Ensure no cracks; if cracks appear, moisten the dough edge with a drop of water and smooth.

Dust and press in mold

Lightly dust the shaped ball with flour, tap off excess, and place into the mooncake mold. Press firmly to imprint design and compress the mooncake. Release mooncake from mold onto a baking tray lined with parchment. Repeat for remaining portions.

Egg wash and bake (first bake)

Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F). Brush the exposed top of each mooncake lightly with a thin layer of egg wash (avoid pooling in crevices). Bake for 7 minutes.

Second egg wash and finish baking

Remove tray from oven and let cool 5 minutes. Brush a second thin layer of egg wash. Return to oven and bake another 6–8 minutes, or until golden brown. Watch closely to avoid over-browning.

Cool and rest

Remove mooncakes from oven and let cool completely on a rack. For best texture and glossy skin, place cooled mooncakes in an airtight container at room temperature for 1–3 days to allow oil from the filling to soften the skin and create the classic glossy sheen. Store up to 7 days at room temperature or refrigerate for longer storage (note refrigeration can dry them; bring to room temperature before serving).

Serving

Serve mooncakes at room temperature, sliced into wedges using a sharp knife wiped with water between cuts for clean slices. Enjoy with tea.