Description
This Traditional Mooncakes with Mixed Nuts recipe features a rich and flavorful filling combining aromatic herbs, roasted nuts, various candied fruits, and savory meats, all encased in a delicate tender dough. Ideal for Mid-Autumn Festival celebrations, these mooncakes bring together a harmonious balance of sweet, savory, and fragrant notes, creating an authentic and festive treat.
Ingredients
Scale
Mixed Nuts Filling
- 0.35 oz dried orange peel
- 1.75 oz lap cheong sausage
- 0.1 oz kaffir lime leaves
- 2.8 oz candied winter melon
- 1 oz candied ginger
- 1.75 oz pork floss
- 1.75 oz roasted chicken (about 1 roasted drumstick, shredded)
- 1 oz roasted cashew nuts
- 0.9 oz roasted pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
- 1 oz roasted watermelon seeds
- 0.5 oz roasted white sesame seeds
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons Mei Kuei Lu wine, divided
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons neutral-flavored oil, plus more for cooking
- 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
- 2 tablespoons toasted glutinous rice flour
- 8 salted duck egg yolks
Mooncake Dough
- 7 oz all-purpose or cake flour, plus more for dusting
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 oz neutral-flavored oil
- 3.75 oz golden syrup
Egg Wash
- 1 teaspoon maltose syrup
- 1 teaspoon water
- 1/2 teaspoon neutral-flavored oil
- 1 large egg yolk
Instructions
- Prepare the Filling: Soak the dried orange peel and kaffir lime leaves in warm water for 10 minutes to soften, then drain and finely chop. Dice lap cheong sausage, candied winter melon, and candied ginger into small pieces. Shred the roasted chicken and set aside the pork floss. Roasted cashews, pumpkin seeds, watermelon seeds, and white sesame seeds should be roughly chopped if large. Combine all these ingredients in a mixing bowl.
- Cook the Filling: Heat 2 tablespoons of neutral-flavored oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the lap cheong sausage and stir-fry until fragrant. Add the chopped orange peel, kaffir lime leaves, candied fruits, pork floss, and shredded chicken. Stir well. Mix in 2 tablespoons water, 1 tablespoon of Mei Kuei Lu wine, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, and 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar. Cook until the mixture is fragrant and slightly sticky. Stir in the toasted glutinous rice flour to absorb excess moisture and bind the filling. Cook for another 1-2 minutes then remove from heat and let cool.
- Prepare Salted Egg Yolks: Separate the 8 salted duck egg yolks and steam them over boiling water for 5-7 minutes until just set. Let cool.
- Make the Mooncake Dough: In a bowl, sift together the all-purpose flour and baking soda. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolk, golden syrup, and neutral oil until smooth. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix to form a soft dough. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest for at least 1 hour to hydrate the flour fully.
- Assemble the Mooncakes: Divide the dough into 16 equal portions and the filling into 16 equal portions. Flatten a dough ball into a round disc and place one portion of filling in the center, including one salted egg yolk per portion. Enclose the filling tightly by folding the dough over and sealing the edges. Roll gently into a smooth ball.
- Mold the Mooncakes: Lightly dust a mooncake mold with flour. Press each filled dough ball into the mold to shape, then carefully release the shaped mooncake onto a baking tray lined with parchment paper.
- Apply Egg Wash: Prepare the egg wash by gently mixing the maltose syrup, water, neutral oil, and egg yolk. Brush a thin layer over each mooncake to enhance browning during baking.
- Bake the Mooncakes: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake the mooncakes for 10 minutes, remove from oven and brush with egg wash again, then bake for another 10-12 minutes until golden brown.
- Cool and Store: Let the mooncakes cool completely on a wire rack. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days to allow the pastry to soften and develop better flavor before serving.
Notes
- To toast glutinous rice flour, spread evenly on a dry pan over low heat and stir continuously until aromatic and lightly golden.
- If golden syrup is unavailable, substitute with light corn syrup or honey for similar sweetness.
- The combination of different nuts and seeds adds both texture and complexity; ensure they are roasted to enhance flavor.
- Mooncakes can be stored in an airtight container for up to a week but taste best when freshly made or after resting 2-3 days.
- Adjust the sweetness and saltiness in the filling according to personal preference.
Keywords: mooncake, traditional mooncake, mixed nuts mooncake, Mid-Autumn Festival, Chinese dessert, festive pastry