The making of Five-Nut Mooncakes is a traditional yet fun craft that brings together the rich flavors of various nuts and honey. Here are the detailed steps for production:
Prepare ingredients: The key is to carefully select nuts and dried fruits, including 400 grams of walnut kernels, 200 grams of raisins, 200 grams of almonds, and 50 grams of sesame seeds, which form the base flavor of the Five-Nut Mooncake. In addition, 200 grams of fruit paste is needed to add fruitiness, and 800 grams of honey is responsible for balancing the overall sweetness. To enrich the filling, prepare 500 grams of roasted wheat flour and 50 grams of sesame oil. For the mooncake skin, you’ll need 500 grams of flour, 100 grams of cornstarch, and 40 grams of custard powder as a base, supplemented with an appropriate amount of lye solution (3 grams of lye dissolved in 7 grams of water), 400 grams of heated honey until sticky, and 140 grams of peanut oil.
Make the filling and skin: First, thoroughly mix all the nuts, dried fruits, honey, roasted wheat flour, and sesame oil to prepare the filling for the mooncake. Next, combine and sift the flour, cornstarch, and custard powder, then gradually mix in the hot honey, lye water, and peanut oil until a dough forms with no dry flour visible. Let it stand for two hours to fully absorb.
Shaping and baking: When making the mooncake, take 60 grams of the dough to wrap around 140 grams of the Five-Nut filling, rolling it into a ball shape carefully. To prevent sticking, sprinkle a little flour on the surface of the mooncake beforehand, then use a mold to press out a beautiful shape. After that, gently knock out the formed mooncake and prepare for the baking step.
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees. Before placing the mooncakes inside, spray a little water on their surface and place them in the middle of the oven. Bake for 10 minutes initially. After the first baking, remove the mooncakes, evenly brush them with a layer of whole egg wash, and return them to the oven until the surface achieves an enticing golden brown color; the entire baking process takes about 25 minutes.
Through the above steps, fragrant, crispy-skinned, and full-filling Five-Nut Mooncakes are completed, carrying not only the traditional festive atmosphere but also conveying the sweet tokens of affection and friendship.
