Mooncakes, as traditional delicacies of the Mid-Autumn Festival, symbolize reunion and happiness. Next, share a simple method for making mooncakes so you can enjoy the sweetness of this festival at home.
To make mooncakes, start with preparing the ingredients. Mix invert syrup with peanut oil (or salad oil) evenly, then add lye water and mix well. Gradually sift in the flour and powdered milk, gently mix with a scraping and folding motion until it forms a dough. Wrap the dough, put it in a storage bag, and let it rest for 1 hour to relax.
During this time, you can fry glutinous rice flour until slightly yellow. Roast walnuts, peanuts, and almonds for 5 minutes in advance, set the temperature at 200 degrees, then add pumpkin seeds and black sesame seeds and roast for another 3 minutes. Cool and remove the skins of peanuts and almonds. Put these nuts in a storage bag, lightly pound with a rolling pin to break into small pieces, and add raisins and chopped apricots.
Then, mix wine, white sugar, slightly crushed rock sugar into the nut mixture, add a suitable amount of water, peanut oil, and the fried glutinous rice flour, mix well until the filling can easily form into a ball, the five-nut filling is ready.
Filling and dough: Divide the five-nut filling into 75g portions, and the dough into 25g portions. Flatten the dough, wrap in the filling, then slowly seal and pinch tight. Sprinkle a little flour on the surface of the shaped mooncake, press it into a mold to reveal beautiful patterns.
Before baking, spray some water on the surface of the mooncake, put it in a preheated oven at 200 degrees, bake for 5 minutes to set the shape. Then, lightly brush with a mixture of egg yolk and a small amount of egg white, only on the surface to avoid damaging the patterns. Return to the oven and bake for another 15 minutes until the mooncake surface turns golden.
A few tips: Small particles like pumpkin seeds and black sesame seeds should be added to the oven later than large nut pieces to prevent burning. For the filling, use pure or cooled-boiled water to maintain freshness. If you don’t like rock sugar, you can replace it with white sugar and adjust the amount accordingly. Do not skip the water spraying step before baking to prevent cracking. When brushing the egg mixture, be quick and light to avoid excessive residue affecting the appearance and color of the mooncakes.
By following these steps, homemade mooncakes are not only rich in flavor but also carry heartfelt wishes and the warmth of the festival.
