Today, on a whim, I decided to personally prepare a batch of traditional five-nut mooncakes for my family. I started by mixing 148 grams of inverted sugar syrup, 50 grams of peanut oil, and 3 grams of lye water in a bowl, stirring carefully to blend them together. Then, I slowly added 200 grams of plain flour and gently folded it in with a silicone scraper until the flour was fully absorbed and no dry powder traces were visible. Next, I covered it with plastic wrap and let the dough rest and relax for an hour, during which it became softer and had a better texture.
During this time, I prepared the filling. I arranged various nuts on a baking tray and placed them in a preheated oven at 160°C, baking for about 10 minutes until the nuts’ skins turned slightly golden. After taking them out, I mixed in 3 grams of salt, 35 grams of peanut oil, 35 grams of corn syrup, and some low-sugar white lotus seed paste, ensuring even distribution of flavors. Then, I divided this rich filling into portions of 45 grams each, while the dough that had risen was divided into 30-gram portions to ensure each mooncake had a total weight of 75 grams. Carefully wrapped the filling in the dough.
Using this method, a total of 13 mooncakes can be made. Before shaping each mooncake, I gently rolled a layer of dry flour on its outer surface to help with demolding. After that, I used a mold to press and shape them, revealing the mooncakes’ contours. Spraying a small amount of mist on the mooncake surface helps prevent cracking during baking. Finally, I placed these ready-to-bake mooncakes in a preheated oven at 180°C, baking for about 20 minutes until their surfaces displayed an enticing golden hue, marking the successful completion.
