Red Dragon Fruit Jelly Mooncakes

A third type of mooncakes, more of a lookalike than the real thing. Totally different ingredients and as a result, different texture and taste all together. Made from jelly, both skin and fillings, so basically, it tastes jelly. Not sure how and when it came about, some say it's the healthier version of the mooncake. True in some way, but we only eat mooncakes once a year, why refrain and eat lookalikes?? I say, indulge in both, real and lookalikes!

This one had red dragon fruit for the skin, which is actually one of the flavour that I make quite often for jellies. I like the refreshing taste and the bright color. The only difference is to make it a mooncake lookalike, it has another layer of jelly within. Most of the time, a flavour that is able to complement the skin both in terms of taste and color will be the chosen candidate for the filling, feels like playing matchmaking :) Last year, my dragon fruit jelly mooncakes had black sesame fillings, this time, I thought why not give him a new companion? I went without the black sesame seeds and used milk instead of coconut milk. The change was made mainly because I wanted to see if the red & white color combination is prettier than red & black.

Taste wise I think black sesame is more distinctive. Color wise, i think they are equally pretty.

Recipe
Source :Adapted from Mooncake Selections by Khoo See Yew

Ingredients for Filling

• 25 gm. caster sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp agar-agar powder
• 125 ml water
• 70 ml fresh milk
• 55 ml evaporated milk

1. Boil sugar, agar-agar powder and water in a pot until agar agar and sugar dissolves.
   
2. Lower flame and mix in milk.
3. Pour in small bowls and let it set.
4. Remove from bowl, use a fork to scratch surface (top and bottom). This is to make sure the filling and skin will stick to one another.
   

Ingredients for Skin

• 100 gm. sugar
• 4 tsp. agar-agar powder
• 600 ml water
• 150 gm red dragon fruit (blended)
• Few pieces pandan leaves
  

1. Boil sugar, agar-agar powder and water with pandan leaves in a pot until agar agar and sugar dissolves.
2. Lower flame and mix in blended dragon fruit.

Assemble

1. Pour in some skin agar agar into mooncake mould (If a see-through effect is preferred (i.e. can see the filling), lessen the amount put in).
2. When it is half set, put in the filling then pour the balance skin mixture into the mould until full. Let it set.
3. Chill in the fridge before serving.

Posted in: Jelly,Mooncakes