Traditional Mooncakes ~ 2011

This is my third attempt at  making traditional mooncakes and now I believe that I'll always need to experiment thrice before I can sort of 'succeed'.  I've been watching videos on You-Tube, reading up recipes on traditional mooncakes just to get the hang of making them.  Have to admit that the more videos I watched the more confused and disillusioned I got.  So, before I raise the white flag, I gave myself one last chance.  I tried Anncoo's Handmade Piggy Mooncakes recipe for the dough and finally, yes finally I got it.  No more sticky, difficult to handle dough where I had to  load in more flour ultimately distorting the recipe.  Thank you, Ann!

Looking at the imprints, I believe there's still  room for improvement.  Hopefully I can deliver better looking ones next season!

Recipe for Traditional Mooncakes

Ingredients

• 150 gm superfine flour - sifted
• 90 ml golden syrup
• 38 ml vegetable oil
• 2 gm alkaline water

Filling

• 980 to 1 kg lotus paste
• 20 gm melon seeds - lightly toasted

Egg Glaze :  1 whole egg + 1 tsp water, mix well, pass through a sieve and strain.

Method

1. Mix the golden syrup, oil and alkaline water thoroughly with a whisk. 
2. Pour the liquid onto the sifted flour, mix with a spatula till well combined and not sticky.
3. Cover with a damp cloth and let rest for 30 mins.  (I left it for an hour, as I had to prepare the paste).  
4. Mix the melon seeds into the lotus paste and weigh out 140 gm of paste.  Roll into balls and set aside.
5. Knead the dough lightly in the bowl or on a floured surface.  Weigh out  portions  of  40 gm. dough.  Lightly roll dough into a ball, flatten on a plastic sheet make it a bit thicker in the centre and thinner at the sides.
6. Put in a ball of paste and wrap up, pushing gently up the sides to fully enclose the paste.  Roll the ball of dough between the palms of your hand.
7. Place the ball of dough into the lightly floured plastic plunger mould, flatten to conform to the shape of the mould.  Put this on a parchment lined baking tray and press out the cake.  If there is flour on the cake, lightly dust off with a clean brush.
8. Lightly spray water on the cakes to prevent cracking.
9. Bake in a preheated oven @ 180 deg C for 20 mins., remove from oven, let cakes cool for 15 mins., apply egg glaze once and return to the oven to bake for 7 mins. @ 175 deg.C.  Change position of the baking tray.
10. Remove cakes from the oven and let them cool completely.
11. Once cooled, place them in an air-tight container for the skin to soften.  Normally it will take about 3 days, thereafter they can be eaten.

I'm submitting this entry to 

Aspiring Bakers # 11 Mid-Autumn Treats  (September 2011)

hosted by

Happy Home Baking



and also taking this opportunity to wish those of you who are celebrating this festive season on

 12th September 2011

Happy Mid-Autumn Mooncake ~ Lantern Festival!