Mixed Fruits and Nuts Mooncake ~ 2013

The annual Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival which is the fifteenth day of the eighth month of the lunar calendar falls on Thursday, 19th September this year.  Again, around this time of the year, one can see a variety of  mooncake recipes posted  in many food blogs.  Mooncakes make elegant gifts to family and friends at this time of the year and homemade ones are certainly more meaningful and of course much more economical.

Recipe for Mixed Fruits and Nuts Mooncake 
(adapted from Anncoo Journal but made half the recipe for the filling)

Ingredients
(A) Dough

• 150 gm superfine or plain flour
• 90 ml golden syrup
• 38 ml vegetable oil
• 2 ml alkaline water
(B)  Filling

• 40 gm walnuts, lightly toasted, coarsely chopped
• 40 gm almonds, lightly toasted, corsely chopped
• 30 gm melon seeds, lightly toasted
• 60 gm white sesame seeds, lightly toasted
• 30 gm dried kiwi, chopped
• 30 gm cranberry, chopped
• 30 gm raisins, chopped
• 30 gm dried pineapple, chopped
• 30 gm dates, chopped
(C)

• 1 Tbsp sugar
• 1.1/2 Tbsp marmalade/apricot jam
• 1.1/4 Tbsp  cornoil/canola oil
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 50 gm koh fun
• 3 Tbsp water
• 1 Tbsp Cointreau (optional)
Egg wash - 1 whole egg + 1 tsp water, mix well and strain

Method (For Dough)

1. Mix golden syrup, vegetable oil and alkaline water with a handwhisk till well combined.
2. Sift in flour, mix to form a piece of dough.
3. Let dough  rest for @ least 2 hours or more till dough is not sticky.
4. Lightly knead on a floured surface, weigh out 50 to 55 gm of dough, roll into a ball, set aside.
For the Filling

1. Mix sugar, koh fun and salt to (B),  mix well.  Then add in the marmalade, oil and water, mix well.  Shape the filling into balls of 150 gm.
To assemble the mooncake

1. Flatten the piece of dough and wrap around a ball of filling.  Shape prepared dough into a ball and press into a lightly floured mooncake mould.  Shake off any excess flour from the mould.
2. Press the prepared portion of dough into the mooncake mould, press out to dislodge the mooncake.
3. Place mooncakes onto a parchment lined baking tray.
4. Lightly spray some water onto the mooncakes.
5. Bake in a preheated oven @ 180 deg C for 15 to 20 mins.  Remove from oven, let mooncakes cool for 15 min.  Apply egg wash once.  Return the mooncakes to the oven and bake again for 7 to 9 mins.  until golden brown.
6. Keep mooncakes uncovered for 3 to 4 days before consuming.  The colour of the mooncakes will darken as they mature.
7. Yield :  3 mooncakes using the 200 gm peach mooncake mould.
 
Note :  Balance dough can be kept refrigerated for other mooncakes.