Today I tried making red bean paste mooncakes at home, the process was both hygienic and fun. The materials prepared include 190 grams of low-gluten flour, 3 grams of lye water, 120 grams of baking syrup, and 47 grams of corn oil. Mix these ingredients together, stir evenly with chopsticks, knead into a smooth dough, cover with plastic wrap, and let it rest for about an hour to relax the dough.
After the dough has fully risen, divide it into small dough pieces of 25 grams each, with the red bean paste filling of the same amount. Next, flatten the dough balls, wrap in the red bean paste filling, carefully seal the edges, and lightly dust the surface of the mooncake with dry flour for smooth demolding with the mold later on.
Using a 50-gram mooncake mold, gently press the stuffed dough twice and beautiful patterns will appear. Then, lightly spray water on the surface of the mooncake, place it in a preheated oven at 180 degrees Celsius, bake for 6 minutes to initially set the shape.
Meanwhile, prepare the egg yolk mixture by mixing an egg yolk with 5 grams of corn oil and 5 grams of water evenly. After the initial baking, remove the mooncake, lightly brush a thin layer of egg yolk mixture on top, return to the oven, continue baking at 180 degrees Celsius for 12 minutes to achieve an enticing golden color on the mooncake surface.
Once the mooncakes have fully cooled, store them in a box. It is important to note that newly made mooncakes may be slightly hard and need to be left for about two days to allow the oil to seep back, resulting in a softer texture and a more appealing color. Through this series of hands-on steps, homemade red bean paste mooncakes are not only hygienic but also add a unique warmth of homemade delicacies.
