Mini Lotus Paste Mooncakes 迷你莲蓉月饼

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Instructions

 

Lotus Seeds Paste:

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  Start by cooking the lotus seeds paste filling. First bring water to a boil. Then add alkaline water and dried lotus seeds.
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  Boil for about 5 minutes.
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  Then remove the skin of lotus seeds by rubbing under running water.
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  Next, remove the bitter tips and stems inside the softened lotus seeds.
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  Once you are done, put them in a pot and cover with enough water.
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  Bring it to a boil and then turn heat to low. Allow to simmer for about 1 hour. Cover and cook until the water turns milky and the lotus seeds become tender.
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  Then, transfer the tender lotus seeds together with some of the water to a mixer. Puree until the lotus seeds become very velvety and smooth. And we're ready to cook the lotus paste.
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  Heat up a non-stick pan glazed with 2 tbsp vegetable oil. Then, on low heat add in 1/4 cup of the sugar and stir fry till sugar dissolves and turns golden in colour.
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  Next, add in the lotus seed puree and remaining sugar. Using a heat resistant spatula, stir till the paste becomes almost dry and the water has evaporated.
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  Add in 1/3 of the vegetable oil and keep stir frying over the heat till combined before adding another 1/3 of oil. Repeat until all the oil has been added.
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  Stir constantly till the paste becomes thick. Then, add in maltose and stir non-stop till the paste starts to leave the side of the pan and eventually come together in one large dough piece. And we're done!
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  Transfer and spread the paste on a plate or casserole and let it cool before use.

Mooncake Skin:

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  While waiting, prepare the mooncake skin dough. First, whisk together golden syrup, groundnut oil and alkaline water until they are thoroughly blended. Then add in flour.
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  Using a spatula, mix and fold in the flour until a soft and sticky dough is formed. Cover with cling wrap and set aside at room temperature for 30 minutes before working on it.
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  Then, divide and weigh the mooncake skin dough into 25g each.
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  Be sure to cover the mooncake skin dough with cling wrap to prevent them from drying.

Other Fillings:

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  Meanwhile, prepare the other mooncake fillings. Crack whole salted eggs and retain the egg yolks. Lightly rinse to clean off a firm around the yolk and wipe off excess water with kitchen towel.
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  Then, bake the salted egg yolks in a preheated 175 degree C oven for 5 minutes and set aside to cool.
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  Weigh to determine the weight of the egg yolk. Its should be around 15g each.
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  Next, toast melon seeds for 5 minutes and remove to cool.
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  Once cooled, combine and mixed well the melon seeds into lotus seed paste prepared earlier.
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  Then, roll the combined lotus seeds paste into a log and cut into smaller pieces.
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  Using a weighing scale, divide the lotus seeds paste into 30g each.
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  As we are making the mooncakes with a mould (mine is 70g), we must ensure they are all of the same size. So make sure the TOTAL weight for all the portions (paste, dough, egg) is 70g. And we're ready to assemble the mooncakes!

Assemble Mooncakes:

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  To assemble, press down to flatten a lotus seed paste ball and wrap one salted egg yolk in it. Gather the edges around the part between your thumb and index finger.
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  Then, roll it into a ball. Continue to do the same for the rest of the lotus seed paste portions to make filling balls.
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  Then flatten one portion of the skin dough and place one filling ball in the middle.
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  Flip over and then wrap the edge evenly around the filling ball.
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  Flip over again and gently but firmly push the skin dough around the filling using the palm of your hands. Check to see if there are any breaks in the dough. Then gather the edges over and pinch to secure the filling ball on the top.
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  Roll it again into a ball and a mooncake is done. Continue to wrap the rest of the filling balls with the mooncake skin dough.
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  Next, prepare to mould the mooncakes. Lightly brush a mooncake mould with flour.
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  Then roll the mooncake into a longer ball with the palm of your hands. This will make it easier to place into the mooncake mould.
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  Carefully place the mooncake into the mould and place the mould on a floured surface. Press the handle down to impart the design. Press until you can't move it any further.
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  Then pull the handle up and release the mooncake and we're done. Repeat to do the same for the rest of the round mooncake balls.
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  Place the moulded mooncakes on a baking tray.

Bake Mooncakes:

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  To bake the mooncakes, first preheat oven to 190 degree C and place rack in centre of oven.
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  Then bake the mooncakes until the mooncake skin toughens and the edges of the mooncakes start to turn golden, about 10 minutes.
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  Remove the mooncakes from the oven to cool for 15 minutes. Then lightly brush a thin layer of egg yolk wash over the pattern on the top of mooncakes.
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  Place the mooncakes back in the oven and bake for another 10 minutes until the mooncakes turn golden brown. And we're done!
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  Remove from oven and let mooncakes cool on the tray for about 5 minutes.
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  Then transfer the baked mooncakes to cool completely on wire rack before storing them in an airtight container.
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  Mooncakes can be served after 24 hours and they will look and taste better after 3 days. Enjoy!