Mooncakes, as a traditional Chinese delicacy, are closely associated with the Mid-Autumn Festival. Although they are not commonly eaten on ordinary days, large malls and supermarkets display a wide variety of mooncakes during this festive season, with the classic five-nut mooncake still being particularly favored. Homemade mooncakes have also become a popular choice among cooking enthusiasts, and regarding whether to use egg wash or egg yolk for the surface during the production process, the answer is straightforward: use egg yolk. Specifically, this means separating the egg yolks from the egg whites, mixing them with a small amount of water, and using this mixture for coloring before baking the mooncakes.
The steps for making homemade mooncakes are quite interesting. First, you need to prepare the mooncake syrup. This step involves heating white sugar and water together until the sugar is completely dissolved; once boiling, add 50 milliliters of lemon juice, then reduce the heat and simmer for 40 minutes without stirring, allowing it to cool naturally for later use.
Next, prepare the red bean filling, which requires soaking the red beans in water overnight. The next day, boil the red beans with an appropriate amount of water until they burst and the liquid has evaporated. To cater to different tastes, you can blend the cooked red beans into red bean paste using a blender, adjusting the blending time according to personal preference to control the integrity or smoothness of the bean particles. Then, add peanut oil to a pan to fry the red bean paste, evaporating the excess moisture while continuously stirring to prevent sticking.
The production of the mooncake crust requires mixing oil, flour, homemade syrup, and a lye solution mixed in a 1:4 ratio (15 grams of lye with 60 grams of water) until it reaches an emulsion state. Divide the dough and red bean filling into portions, shape them into balls, and wrap the filling before using molds to form them.
Finally, preheat the oven to 180 degrees, place the mooncakes in the middle rack, and bake for 10 minutes. After taking them out to cool slightly, brush with the prepared egg yolk mixture, then return to the oven to bake for about 15 minutes, adjusting the time based on the performance of the oven. In this way, homemade mooncakes are successfully completed, filled with festive spirit and personal sentiment.
