Chinese
Mooncakes
Cantonese mooncakes with tender golden crust, dense lotus or red bean filling, and salted egg yolk richness.
12 servings · 90 minutes prep · 25 minutes cook
Ingredients
Main
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus a little extra for dusting the mold if needed
- 1/2 cup golden syrup
- 3 tbsp avocado oil
- 1/2 tsp lye water
- 24 oz lotus seed paste
- 6 whole salted duck egg yolks, halved
- 1 whole egg yolk, beaten with 1 teaspoon water for egg wash
Directions
Method
- Heat the oven to 375F. In a mixing bowl, whisk the golden syrup, avocado oil, and lye water until smooth. Stir in the all-purpose flour just until a soft dough forms, then cover and rest for 2 hours.
- Divide the lotus seed paste into 12 equal portions. Press one salted duck egg-yolk half into each portion and roll into smooth filling balls.
- Divide the rested dough into 12 pieces. Flatten one piece into a thin disk, wrap it around a filling ball, and pinch the dough closed so the filling is fully covered. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling.
- Lightly dust the mooncake mold if it sticks. Press each filled cake firmly in the mold, release it, and place it on a parchment-lined sheet pan with space between cakes.
- Bake at 375F for 8 minutes to set the pattern. Cool for 10 minutes, brush very lightly with the egg yolk wash, then bake at 325F until evenly golden, 12-15 minutes.
- Cool completely, then store the mooncakes covered at room temperature for 2 days so the crust softens, darkens, and turns glossy before serving.
