In recent years, with the increasing exchanges of cuisine between the north and south, many friends from the north and south have had the opportunity to taste each other’s regional specialties, such as meat zongzi, five-nut mooncakes, egg yolk mooncakes, honey date zongzi, etc. Among them, the five-nut char siu mooncake, as a unique mooncake that combines northern and southern flavors, is particularly eye-catching. This mooncake, while retaining the traditional sweetness of northern five-nut mooncakes, incorporates char siu, a southern element, creating a new taste experience. Let’s learn how to prepare the filling for the five-nut char siu mooncake.
The filling for the five-nut char siu mooncake is prepared with a rich variety of ingredients, including various nuts such as peanuts, pine nuts, walnuts, as well as candied orange peel, winter melon sugar, and char siu pork. These ingredients together form the basis of the filling. First, bake the dried fruits until cooked, peel the peanuts, and crush them along with other nuts. Then, chop the winter melon sugar, candied orange peel, and char siu pork. Next, mix all the dry ingredients with wet ingredients such as purified water, sugar, white wine, corn oil, and five-spice powder. Finally, add cooked glutinous rice flour and knead the mixture into a dough. Let it sit for a while, and the filling for the five-nut char siu mooncake is ready.
When making the mooncakes, divide the filling into portions, wrap them in prepared pastry, shape using molds, slightly process the surface to prevent sticking, then bake in the oven. The mooncakes will have an appealing golden color on the surface and a perfect waist drum shape. During baking, timely spraying water and brushing with egg wash can help the mooncake surface achieve an ideal sheen and texture.
Five-nut mooncakes, rich in various nuts, not only have a delicious taste but also relatively high nutritional value. Compared to mooncakes with sweet fillings like red bean paste or lotus seed paste, five-nut mooncakes have certain advantages in terms of vitamins, fiber, and mineral content. Additionally, due to a hint of saltiness, the combination of sweet and salty flavors makes them more appetizing and popular among many diners.
