Description
Traditional Mooncakes with Mixed Nuts are a festive Chinese delicacy featuring a rich, savory-sweet mixed nut filling encased in a tender, golden dough. This recipe blends aromatic ingredients like candied winter melon, roasted nuts and seeds, lap cheong sausage, pork floss, and salted duck egg yolks, culminating in perfectly baked mooncakes with glossy, egg-washed crusts ideal for celebration during the Mid-Autumn Festival.
Ingredients
Scale
Mixed Nuts Filling
- 0.35 oz dried orange peel
- 1.75 oz lap cheong sausage, finely chopped
- 0.1 oz kaffir lime leaves, finely minced
- 2.8 oz candied winter melon, diced
- 1 oz candied ginger, finely chopped
- 1.75 oz pork floss
- 1.75 oz roasted chicken, shredded (about 1 roasted drumstick)
- 1 oz roasted cashews, chopped
- 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 sugar
- 2 tablespoons neutral-flavored oil, plus more for cooking
- 1 1/2 teaspoons five-spice powder
- 2 tablespoons glutinous rice flour, toasted (see Notes)
- 8 salted duck egg yolks
Mooncake Dough
- 7 oz all-purpose flour 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 (or honey as substitute)
Egg Wash
- 1 teaspoon golden syrup
- 1 teaspoon water
- 1/2 teaspoon soy sauce
- 1 large egg yolk
Instructions
- Prepare the filling: Soak the dried orange peel in water to soften, then finely chop. In a pan, heat 2 tablespoons of neutral-flavored oil over medium heat. Add lap cheong sausage and stir-fry until fragrant. Add minced kaffir lime leaves, candied winter melon, candied ginger, shredded roasted chicken, roasted cashews, pumpkin seeds, watermelon seeds, and white sesame seeds. Stir-fry for several minutes to combine flavors.
- Add seasoning: Pour in 2 tablespoons water, 1 tablespoon Mei Kuei Lu wine, sugar, and five-spice powder. Cook until well incorporated and slightly sticky. Sprinkle in toasted glutinous rice flour, stirring to bind the mixture. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
- Prepare salted egg yolks: Gently rinse salted duck egg yolks and steam them for 5 minutes until cooked through. Set aside to cool.
- Make the dough: In a mixing bowl, combine all-purpose flour and baking soda. In a separate bowl, whisk together egg yolk, neutral-flavored oil, and golden syrup. Gradually add the wet ingredients to the dry flour mixture, stirring to form a smooth dough. Cover and rest dough for 30 minutes.
- Assemble mooncakes: Divide dough and filling into equal portions (about 50g dough and 35g filling each). Flatten each dough portion into a disc, place a spoonful of filling on top, and press a salted egg yolk in the center. Wrap the dough around the filling completely, shaping into a smooth ball.
- Mold mooncakes: Lightly dust mooncake molds with flour. Press each filled dough ball into the mold to shape and imprint designs. Gently remove molded mooncakes and place on a baking tray lined with parchment paper.
- Apply egg wash: Whisk together golden syrup, water, soy sauce, and egg yolk to make the egg wash. Brush a light layer over each mooncake for a shiny, golden finish.
- Bake mooncakes: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake mooncakes for 10 minutes, then remove from oven and brush a second layer of egg wash. Return to oven and bake for an additional 10-12 minutes or until mooncakes are golden brown.
- Cool and store: Let mooncakes cool completely on a wire rack. For best flavor and texture, store mooncakes in an airtight container at room temperature for 1-2 days to allow aroma to mature before serving.
Notes
- To toast glutinous rice flour, spread it evenly on a dry skillet over low heat. Stir constantly until it turns golden brown and aromatic; be careful not to burn.
- If golden syrup is unavailable, honey or corn syrup can be used as a substitute, but it may slightly alter the texture and sweetness.
- Roasted seeds and nuts can be purchased pre-roasted or toasted at home in a dry pan until fragrant.
- Mooncakes are best enjoyed after resting for a couple of days to let the filling soak into the dough.
Keywords: Traditional Mooncakes, Mixed Nuts Mooncake, Mid-Autumn Festival, Chinese Dessert, Festive Pastry