Traditional Baked Mooncakes

In the blink of an eye, this year mid-autumn festival is about one month away! When I started my baking hobby, I've only attempted snow skin mooncakes  a few times which was then five years ago! Since then my mooncakes were all nicely stashed inside my storeroom hahaha...Finally one fine day I'm in the mood to try out my first attempt of baking some traditional mooncakes!  Quite happy with my first maiden baked mooncakes as I've received positive feedback from my tasters :D Hopefully I will be motivated to bake some more of these mini mooncakes nearer to the mid-autumn festival :)

Mini White Lotus Paste Mooncakes with Yolks

Mooncake pastry after resting for 1 hour

White lotus paste with melon seeds and yolks

Before baking

Recipe source : Catherine Han's Blog

Ingredient (12 mini mooncakes using 50gm mould)

Pastry

• 100gm golden syrup
• 1/8 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp alkaline water
• 25gm peanut oil
• 150gm Hong Kong flour

Filling

• 260gm white lotus paste
• 20gm toasted melon seeds
• 6 salted egg yolks, halved*

Glaze (mix well and sieve) : 1 egg, 1 tbsp water, 1 tsp golden syrup

* Soak yolks in sesame oil and rice wine for 30mins. drain and bake in preheated oven at 160 deg cel for 12 mins. Cool down completely before use.

Method (dough filling ratio 40% : 60%)

1. Mix syrup, baking soda, alkaline water and oil together. Add in flour and mix into a smooth dough. Cover and set aside for 2 hours. Divide dough into 12 portions, approx. 20gm each.
2. Combine lotus paste with melon seeds and knead evenly to incorporate the seeds. Divide into 12 equal portions (approx. 23-24gm). Flatten each paste slightly and wrap in a halved salted egg yolk. Seal and roll into rounds.
3. On a lightly floured surface, roll out pastry and wrap with lotus paste and roll into a ball. Dust the ball generously with flour and press into the mooncake mould. 
4. Release the mooncake from the mould and place it on a lined baking sheet. Brush with egg wash. Bake in preheated oven at 160 deg cel for 10 mins
5. Remove the mooncakes from the oven and rest for 15 mins. Apply another egg wash and bake for another 15 mins or until golden brown.
6. Cool completely before storing in air-tight container. Rest for at least 3-4 days before serving.

This post is linked to the event, Little Thumbs Up organised by Bake for Happy Kids and My Little Favourite DIY, and hosted by Diana from the Domestic Goddess Wannabe

This post is linked to the event, Best Recipes for Everyone August 2014 Event Theme: Mooncake hosted by Fion XuanHom's Mom.