Van's Kitchen: Traditional Mooncake Recipe

Watch my video how to make mooncake on the Van's Kitchen Youtube

Blog in Vietnamese: Video cách làm bánh trung thu

The Moon Festival is right around the corner! It's a special festival for children in Vietnam. On this day, the children light the lanterns and walk around their neighborhoods, enjoy lion dances, and other fun activities. Mooncakes are a popular treat to serve at gatherings of friends and family on this special day.

Ingredients: (makes 3 mooncakes size 3 ½” x 3 ½” x 1 ½”)

Dough:

50 g enriched bleached all purpose flour

30 g golden syrup (homemade, or Tate and Lyle's brand)

¼ tsp lye water (available at Asian grocers)

14 g vegetable oil

Homemade golden syrup

400 g sugar

200 ml water

50 ml fresh lemon juice, sifted

Filling:

Mung bean filling: (makes 3)

100 g skinless mung beans (wash and rinse well)

1 ¼ cup water

50 g sugar (or to taste)

2 tbsp (30 ml) vegetable oil

3 salted egg yolks, soak in rum for at least 15 minutes, dry well.

1 tbsp rum

or Chestnut filling: (make 3)

1 can (370 g) chestnuts (discard the syrup)

50 g sugar (or to taste)

2 tbsp vegetable oil

3 salted egg yolks, soak in rum for at least 15 minutes, dry well.

Egg wash:

1 egg

Instructions:

Make the golden syrup:

In a saucepan set over medium heat, mix together sugar and water until the sugar dissolves and the mixture becomes clear. When it boils, add lemon juice, give it a stir. Reduce the heat to low. Cover to let the steam wash any crystallized sugar off the sides of the pan.

Don’t leave it unattended. But check often. When the syrup turns amber color, remove it from the heat. Let it cool, then transfer to a clean air-tight jar.

The golden syrup is ready for use after one or two days. But the longer the syrup matures, the better the flavor and texture it will bring to the mooncake. You can store it for up to a year at room temperature.

Make the fillings:

Add water to the washed bean, set the rice cooker at a “softer” setting, and start cooking. When it's done, transfer into a food processor, add sugar, and grind into a smooth puree.

Transfer the puree into a pan with ⅓ amount of the oil. Set over medium heat. Cook and stir often. Add oil in a little bit at a time, combine well until the oil is incorporated well between adds. Stir constantly and cook until the puree is thickened. Remove from the heat and let it cool completely.

The paste can be stored in an air-tight container and kept in the fridge for up to 3 weeks.

Divide the mung bean paste into 3 equal portions. Make a hole, and place the egg yolk inside. Then seal, roll and shape into a ball.

Repeat the same method to make the chestnut paste, and chestnut fillings.

Preheat the oven to 350°F (176℃)

Make the dough:

Mix together golden syrup, lye water and oil.

Add into the flour and mix well. Transfer onto a floured surface; knead a few times. Let it rest for 30 minutes. Then divide into 3 equal portions and roll into balls. Roll out the dough ball into a thin disc on a floured counter. Then wrap and seal the bean paste/ chestnut paste ball with the dough disc. Flour the mould and place the stuffed mooncake into the mould. Lightly press then remove the mooncake from the mould, place them on a lined baking tray.

Repeat to finish the remaining dough and bean paste/ chestnut paste balls.

Bake in the preheated oven for about 10 minutes. Take them out and let cool a little bit then brush the mooncakes with egg wash, bake again for 5 minutes or until the pastry turns golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack. Store in an air-tight container. The pastry will become soft, and shiny in one or two days.

Xin mời (^o^)