As the Mid-Autumn Festival approaches, mooncakes have become an essential festive delicacy. Whether it’s the delicate, flaky Su-style mooncakes or the soft, sweet, and unforgettable Cantonese mooncakes, it is hard to choose. This year, the chefs at Tongji University’s cafeteria have specially shared the homemade secrets of two classic mooncakes—lotus seed paste with salted egg yolk and five-nut mooncakes—inviting everyone to try making them themselves.
The ingredients needed for these two types of mooncakes include flour, syrup, lye water, cooking oil, egg liquid, salted egg yolks, lotus seed paste filling, and five-nut filling, along with a small amount of corn starch as an aid. The preparation process is briefly described as follows:
First, mix the syrup, lye water, and cooking oil evenly, then add the flour to knead into a smooth dough, and let it rest aside for a moment to ferment. Next, divide the dough and filling into evenly weighted small pieces, approximately 40 grams for the skin and 90 grams for the filling.
For the lotus seed paste with salted egg yolk mooncake, first wrap the pre-baked salted egg yolk in the lotus seed paste filling; for the five-nut mooncake, simply roll the purchased five-nut filling into balls and set aside. Then, flatten the dough, wrap in the filling, and pinch the edges tightly to seal. To prevent sticking, you can gently coat the semi-finished products with a layer of corn starch before placing them in a mold and pressing them into shape.
Once the mooncakes take shape, place them on a baking tray, preheat the oven to 200 degrees, bake for 5 minutes to set the surface patterns, take them out and brush a thin layer of egg wash, then return them to the oven to continue baking for about 15 minutes, until they are golden and inviting.
Finally, it is worth noting that freshly baked mooncake skins may be slightly dry and hard, but after storing for 2-3 days, the skins will gradually become soft and more fragrant. Additionally, sprinkling some corn starch on the mold before use can effectively prevent sticking; simply shake the mold gently to remove any excess starch.
Through these steps, not only can you enjoy the fun of making mooncakes, but you can also present a heartfelt traditional delicacy to family and friends during the Mid-Autumn Festival.
