There’s a lot to love about the Mid-Autumn Festival, one of the most vibrant festivals in Singapore, and mooncakes are among them. A golden-brown crust hiding dense and delicious fillings and egg yolk in the centre, mooncakes are rich and satisfying like no other desserts. Here is a simplified traditional mooncake recipe that will help you prepare delicious mooncakes for the upcoming Mid-Autumn or Moon Festival.
Prepare the Filling
Ingredients:
1 cup dried lotus seeds (soaked overnight or at least for 6-8 hours)
2/3 to 3/4 cup sugar
6 tablespoons coconut oil
Rinse the soaked seeds and split in half. Also, make sure to remove the green sprout in the centre as it is bitter and can affect the taste of the mooncake
Place these seeds in a vessel filled with water and bring it to a simmer (medium-low heat)
When the seeds are soft enough to be mashed with a spoon, drain them. Put these seeds with sugar in a food processor and blend until you see a smooth paste. You may also need a splash of water in this step
Next, transfer this puree into a saucepan, and cook over medium heat. Stir it continuously until you get a thickened consistency
When the puree is ready, add coconut oil and remove it from the heat. Keep it aside for some time and get started with the dough.
Prepare the Dough
Ingredients:
1/4 cup golden syrup
1/2 teaspoon alkaline water or sodium bicarbonate solution
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Take a large bowl and whisk the golden syrup, vegetable oil, and alkaline water together
Then add the flour and knead it into a dough
Cover the bowl with a soft cloth and plastic wrap for around 45-60 minutes.
Mooncakes Recipe
Firstly, preheat the oven to 350° F
Take small dough balls and flatten them like discs using flour
Divide the lotus seed filling into equal round balls. Place a filling ball in the centre of a disc and fold it covering the ball. Now, place this ball into the mooncake mould and form the perfect mooncake (you can use whichever mould you have)
Bake these mooncakes for 8 minutes at 350° F. Meantime you will have to whisk an egg with water
Take out the mooncakes and let them cool for 10 minutes before brushing them with this egg wash. Again, bake the cakes for 10-15 minutes, or until you see them turning golden brown from the top.
It is good practice to store the mooncakes in air-tight jars once cool. Gift these mooncakes to friends or enjoy yourself at home. As an added tip, keep the mooncakes in the container for at least two days before consumption as it helps in releasing the oil and making the cakes more shiny and supple.Or, you can always opt for mooncake delivery from Ferns N Petals in Singapore if you are running out of time or have something come up last minute. Also, a perfect option if baking is not your thing.
