Vroom, vroom...I got my mooncake making engine started over the weekend :) Mooncake festival is in 1 month's time. I have been making quite a few types of mooncakes over the past 2 years. And I am really glad to have started learning how to make them, store bought ones are really expensive nowadays. To kickoff this mooncake making spree, i started with something light and easy (as in lesser effort, lower skill level and no resting time required for the mooncakes, after a year of waiting, this part is mental torture!). These are known as Shanghai mooncakes.
Personally, I feel these are a modern variation compared to their traditional cousins. Although they have similar fillings, the pastry is very different. This one has a crisp and buttery crust.
While writing, this question pop up in my mind, why are they known as Shanghai mooncakes, is that where they originated?? Not much of an answer out there, except that it seems to be more popular in this part of the world instead of China...?
Personally, I feel these are a modern variation compared to their traditional cousins. Although they have similar fillings, the pastry is very different. This one has a crisp and buttery crust.
While writing, this question pop up in my mind, why are they known as Shanghai mooncakes, is that where they originated?? Not much of an answer out there, except that it seems to be more popular in this part of the world instead of China...?
Pardon the ugly cut, was too impatient to start indulging!
Verdict?
They tasted quite good, not bad at all. And I think they look pretty with a walnut and a sizzle of sesame seeds :)
Recipe
Source : Mooncake Selections by Khoo See Yew (with a twist highlighted in blue)
Ingredients
Pastry
- 280g flour (50% All Purpose flour, 50% cake flour)
- 1/8 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 30g custard powder
- 100g icing sugar
- 1 1/2 eggs
- 75g butter, 75g shortening (150g butter)
- Walnuts and sesame seed
- Lotus paste filling
Method
- Mix and sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder and custard sugar in a bowl.
- Mix butter and icing sugar until even, add in eggs then mix in sifted flour until becomes soft dough.
- I left dough in fridge overnight before moulding them the next morning.
- Divide the dough into equal portions of 40g each. Wrap with filling of equal weight. (Original recipe was 30g dough, 20g filling)
- Brush with egg yolk, sprinkle with sesame seeds and top with a walnut.
- Bake at 180C for 25 minutes. After 10 minutes, remove and brush with another layer of egg yolk.
Hi, you're very fast... started your engine for moon cake? Yours look really good, love the pastry. I don't eat much but enjoy making various type of moon cake especially the piglets moon cake.
ReplyDeleteTea time... can pass me 1 piece? LOL
Have a nice day, regards.
That is nowhere near an ugly cut! I'd be impatient too, this looks fantastic!
ReplyDeleteyeah, i remember you made quite many types of mooncakes last year. i also find that shanghai mooncakes are not easy to cut to look nice but quite enjoy eating shanghai mooncakes. actually i havent eaten any mooncakes this year..so expensive and dont hv the crave yet but a bit tempted to eat some jelly ones.
ReplyDeleteyou were laughing when you read i said got technique cutting the prawns, i was laughing too reading your comments when you talk about stretching the prawns, like doing yoga! haha! i never tried that, next time i shall try and see if the yoga works !! thanks!