The process of making mooncakes is both traditional and fun, especially when it comes to homemade five-nut mooncakes. Not only can you control the freshness and healthiness of the ingredients, but you can also adjust the sweetness according to personal taste. Below are the detailed steps for making them:
### Preparing the Dough
First, mix 200 grams of all-purpose flour with 140 grams of invert syrup, 50 grams of cooking oil, and 4 grams of lye water in a bowl. Stir thoroughly until the ingredients are combined, then add the flour, continuing to mix until there is no dry flour remaining in the dough. Wrap the resulting dough in plastic wrap and let it rest for at least two hours to relax, reaching an ideal extensibility.
### Preparing the Five-Nut Filling
The making of the five-nut filling emphasizes the variety and combination of dried fruits, using a total of 300 grams of nuts, including walnuts, cashews, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, black sesame seeds, and raisins. First, you need to toast equal amounts of all-purpose flour and glutinous rice flour (50 grams each) in a pan until cooked and allow them to cool. Next, roast the various nuts until crispy, and after cooling, lightly crush the walnuts and cashews to add texture.
Combine the processed nuts and raisins in a large bowl, adding honey, maltose, a small amount of white liquor, cooled boiled water, and cooking oil. Stir all the ingredients evenly until they can be easily pressed into a solid filling mass.
### Shaping and Forming
Divide the dough and filling into equal weights. First, compact the filling into a round shape for easy wrapping. Take a piece of dough, flatten it, and encase the five-nut filling, using the warmth and pressure of your hands to gently push the edges of the dough until completely sealed, then reshape it into a round form to ensure a beautiful appearance.
Next, lightly coat the wrapped mooncake with a layer of cooked flour or glutinous rice flour, removing any excess powder, and use a mold to press various designs onto it. To give the mooncake an enticing color, you can gently brush a thin layer of egg wash on the surface.
### Baking
Place the decorated mooncakes into a preheated oven at the appropriate temperature. After baking for about 5 minutes, take them out and spray a little water mist, then return them to the oven and continue to bake at 200 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes, until the surface of the mooncakes is golden brown and the aroma fills the air.
Through this series of careful preparations, the homemade five-nut mooncakes not only carry the festive atmosphere but also embody the taste and warmth of home.
