Jelly Mooncakes Again

Mid-Autumn/Mooncake festival has a special place in our family, dad was born on that day according to the lunar calendar  and grandpa named him after it.  My son is envious that my Dad gets to celebrate his birthday twice each year! It's going to be extra special this year as it falls on the same day as my son's birthday according to the gregorian calendar :)

Making mooncakes is now an annual event ever since my first attempt in 2010.  Once you get into it, it's not too difficult and it does not help that prices of commercial ones are rising steeply each year.  I have tried making quite a few variations including the baked ones, snow skins and jellies too.   One that i think i am pretty good at by now is the jelly mooncake.  May sound a little unabashed, but hey 3 years of practice coming to 4 now, must surely do some good :))  It is also among the most popular post on my blog. 

Jelly mooncakes are completely different from the traditional ones taste or texture wise, it only bear resemblance appearance wise.   They make good desserts; refreshing, cooling and most of the time come in bright striking colours.

Every year i attempt new flavors so that those on the receiving end (including my customers, as i do get some orders from them :)) will not find them boring due to repetitive flavors :)

And here's one of the new flavors for this year, Green Tea with Luo Han Guo.  It's healthy appeal made me choose this flavor.  The recipe is courtesy of Amy Beh of Kuali.com.

I love the color contrast in this combo.  I find the green tea fragrance and taste quite strong (but then this could differ with the type of green tea powder used), i am making a self note to reduce it by 20% the next time around.   This is also to prevent it from covering the taste of the luo han guo filling which on its own tasted very nice with flavors coming from fresh winter melon, longan and red dates.  

This one here is a slight variation from the Cendol Red Bean flavor that has been made over the years and with recipe posted here.  Instead of just cendol for the skin, i played around and made another layer with gula melaka.  Hence, named it ABC Jelly Mooncake to make sure its Malaysian shows :)  

An all time favorite, Nespresso Peach.  You will love it if you are a coffee lover, if you are not you will be one after tasting this :))

Recipe - Green Tea Luo Han Guo Jelly Mooncake

Source : Kuali.com by Amy Beh

Ingredients for Filling

• 1/2 piece luo han guo
• 75g palm sugar
• 5 red dates
• 700ml water
• 50g winter melon (finely grated and chopped)
• 5g dried longan flesh (finely chopped)
• 3 tsp agar-agar powder 

Method

1. Bring palm sugar, luo han guo, dates and water to a boil.
2. Once it comes to a boil, reduce flame and let it simmer for 15-20 minutes.  Strain drink to remove impurities.
3. Squeeze out excess water from grated winter melon.  Add into drink.  Add chopped longan flesh.  Bring to a boil then let it simmer for 15-20 minutes again.
4. Leave 500ml of the drink in pot (You can use all of it but 500ml will be enough for around 6 pieces, i wanted to have the extra to drink!)
5. Add in agar-agar powder.  Stir well making sure agar-agar dissolve.
6. Lower flame and turn off once it comes to a boil.
7. Pour in small bowls and let it set.
8. 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

• 4 tsp agar-agar powder
• 130g castor sugar
• 650ml water
• 2 tbsp milk
• 1 tsbp green tea powder

Method

1. Put sugar, agar-agar powder and water in a pot and boil until agar agar and sugar dissolves.
2. Turn off flame.  
3. Add in green tea powder, mix and stir until even and dissolve.
4. Add in milk.
5. Strain the mixture.

Assemble

1. Pour in some skin agar agar into mooncake mould.
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.