As the Mid-Autumn Festival approaches, the discussion about the Five Nut Mooncakes has once again heated up. Despite being mocked for its unique taste by some, there is still a group of loyal fans who have a special fondness for it. In fact, the filling of the Five Nut Mooncakes is rich in a variety of nuts and dried fruits. Compared to the overly sweet bean paste or lotus seed paste mooncakes, it not only offers a more diverse flavor but also doesn’t make people feel greasy or worried about gaining weight.
The process of making Five Nut Mooncakes is both elaborate and fun. Firstly, prepare the pastry ingredients: 75g maltose, 2g lye water, 100g medium gluten flour, and 30g peanut oil. Mix them evenly to make a soft dough, cover it with plastic wrap, and let it rest for an hour to relax. As for the filling, you will need 30g each of almonds, peanuts, cashews, and walnuts, combined with 30g of raisins, cranberries, and 20g of sunflower seeds to enhance the flavor. Additionally, prepare oil, glutinous rice flour, medium gluten flour, sugar, water, and a little salt. Toast the medium flour and glutinous rice flour over low heat until slightly yellow and let it cool. Chop the nuts and mix with the wet ingredients, then let it sit for the flavors to blend.
When making the mooncakes, mix maltose, lye water, oil, and salt until emulsified, then gradually add flour to form a smooth dough. Divide the dough and filling proportionally, usually 35g filling and 15g pastry. Take a piece of pastry, shape it into a round flat disc, enclose the filling, and gently seal it using the “tiger’s mouth” technique. Dust the surface of the wrapped mooncake with a thin layer of flour, use a mold to press out a beautiful shape, then bake in a preheated oven at 180 degrees Celsius for 5 minutes to set the shape. Take it out, brush a thin layer of egg wash, and continue baking for about 15 minutes until the surface is golden brown. Let the baked mooncakes sit for a few days to allow the outer skin to become more oily and shiny, and the flavor to become richer.
Through this series of meticulous steps, homemade Five Nut Mooncakes not only carry the warm atmosphere of the festival but also demonstrate respect and inheritance of traditional handmade delicacies.
