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A set of decorative mooncakes photographed to showcase craftsmanship and texture.

Mooncake Recipe

This Mooncake Recipe features homemade lotus paste, traditional mooncake skin, optional salted duck egg yolks, and a light egg wash for a golden finish.
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Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Asian-inspired, Chinese
Keyword: Mooncake Recipe
Prep Time: 8 hours
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Servings: 10 people

Ingredients

For the Lotus Paste

  • 3/4 cup dried lotus seeds
  • 3 tbsp peanut oil
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 1/2 tbsp honey

For the Mooncake Skin

  • 84 g golden syrup / 1/4 cup
  • 25 g peanut oil / 2 tbsp
  • 7 g lye water / 1 tsp
  • 120 g all-purpose flour / 1 cup

Other Ingredients

  • 10 salted duck egg yolks optional
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 3 tbsp whole milk

Instructions

Prepare the Lotus Paste

  • Place the dried lotus seeds in a bowl and cover them with water.
  • Soak the lotus seeds overnight.
  • The next day, drain the soaked lotus seeds.
  • Check the centers of the lotus seeds and remove any green buds, as they may have a bitter taste.
  • Transfer the cleaned lotus seeds to a saucepan.
  • Add enough fresh water to just cover the lotus seeds.
  • Simmer the lotus seeds for approximately 2 hours, or until tender.
  • Once cooked, blend the lotus seeds with the cooking water until smooth.
  • Pour the lotus seed puree through a fine mesh sieve into a sauté pan.
  • Place the sauté pan over medium heat.
  • Cook the lotus mixture, stirring regularly, until it reduces to approximately 2/3 of its original amount and becomes as thick as a very thick soup.
  • Add the peanut oil 1 tablespoon at a time, stirring thoroughly after each addition.
  • Continue stirring consistently so the moisture evaporates evenly from the lotus paste.
  • Add the salt, granulated sugar, and honey.
  • Continue stirring and folding the mixture until it thickens into a paste.
  • Cook until the paste begins to pull away from the pan and holds its shape.
  • Remove the lotus paste from the heat.
  • Transfer it to a container and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or until cooled and firm enough to handle.

Prepare the Mooncake Skin

  • In a small bowl, combine the golden syrup, peanut oil, and lye water.
  • Mix until fully incorporated.
  • Add the all-purpose flour.
  • Mix until a soft dough forms.
  • Cover the dough and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Form the Mooncakes

  • Once the lotus paste and dough have cooled, prepare the lotus paste, mooncake skin dough, and salted duck egg yolks, if using.
  • Using a kitchen scale, weigh the filling for each mooncake.
  • If using a salted duck egg yolk, place one yolk and enough lotus paste on the scale so the combined weight is 30 g.
  • Adjust the amount of lotus paste as needed to reach the correct weight.
  • If omitting the salted duck egg yolk, use 30 g of lotus paste for each mooncake.
  • Weigh the mooncake skin dough with the filling.
  • The total weight of the filling and mooncake skin dough should be 50 g.
  • Adjust the amount of dough as needed.
  • Roll the lotus paste into a smooth ball.
  • Flatten the lotus paste into a disk.
  • Place the salted duck egg yolk in the center of the disk, if using.
  • Enclose the salted duck egg yolk completely with the lotus paste.
  • Roll gently between the palms of the hands to form a smooth ball.
  • If using only lotus paste, roll the measured lotus paste directly into a smooth ball.
  • Roll the mooncake skin dough into a ball.
  • Flatten the dough into a disk.
  • Place the lotus paste ball in the center of the dough disk.
  • Gently stretch and press the dough around the lotus paste filling until fully enclosed.
  • Roll gently between the palms of the hands until smooth.
  • Repeat the process with the remaining lotus paste, dough, and salted duck egg yolks.

Mold the Mooncakes

  • Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • Lightly coat the mooncake mold with flour.
  • Shake out any excess flour.
  • Place one filled mooncake ball into the mold.
  • Press the mold firmly onto the prepared baking sheet.
  • Lift the mold slightly and release the mooncake onto the baking sheet.
  • Repeat with the remaining mooncakes.
  • Gently brush off any excess flour from the tops of the mooncakes.
  • Refrigerate the molded mooncakes for 30 minutes to 1 hour to help the pattern hold during baking.

Bake the Mooncakes

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F / 177°C.
  • Bake the mooncakes for 5 minutes.
  • While the mooncakes bake, prepare the egg wash.
  • In a small bowl, combine the egg yolk and whole milk.
  • Whisk until smooth.
  • Remove the mooncakes from the oven after the initial 5-minute bake.
  • Lightly brush the tops of the mooncakes with the egg wash.
  • Return the mooncakes to the oven.
  • Bake for an additional 10 to 12 minutes, or until lightly golden and set.
  • Remove the mooncakes from the oven.
  • Allow them to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes.
  • Transfer the mooncakes to a cooling rack and cool completely.
  • For the best texture and flavor, refrigerate the mooncakes and allow them to rest for 24 hours before serving.

Notes

To make this Mooncake Recipe gluten free, replace the all-purpose flour in the mooncake skin with a gluten-free all-purpose flour blend suitable for pastry dough.
Use a gluten-free flour blend that contains xanthan gum or another binder, as this will help the mooncake skin hold together during shaping and molding.
Confirm that the golden syrup, lye water, peanut oil, dried lotus seeds, honey, salted duck egg yolks, and milk are labeled gluten free or free from gluten cross-contact.
If using store-bought salted duck egg yolks or prepared lotus paste, check the ingredient label carefully, as some packaged products may contain gluten-based additives or cross-contact warnings.
Prepare the mooncakes with clean utensils, bowls, molds, baking sheets, and work surfaces to prevent gluten cross-contact.