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Chinese Mooncake (Yue Bing)—Traditional Version

September 7, 2016 79 Comments

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Learn how to make traditional Chinese Mooncake with egg yolk, collect all the important tips for perfect Mooncake for the Chinese Mid Autumn Day.

mooncakes|China Sichuan Food

Baked mooncakes after 1 day

Hello, mooncake season!

Elaine was born on the Mid Autumn day 30 years ago. Eating mooncakes and homemade sticky rice cake along with the birthday cake have been our family activities for 30 years. Starting from last year, Elaine makes mooncake for my family instead of purchasing some from the market.Chinese eat mooncakes to celebrate the family reunion day. Mooncakes on the market are either round or square shaped. Most of the traditional mooncakes are round. The roundness symbolizes completeness and reunion. Family members usually share mooncakes together.

Mooncakes can be differ from filling to crust. This is a guide to traditional Cantonese style sweet mooncakes. But recently mooncakes are a large group for example Su style savory mooncakes(minced pork as filling), snow skin mooncake (this one does not need baking), Yunnan ham and flower mooncakes, ice cream mooncakes, chocolate mooncakes etc. We even heard of reman noodles mooncake this year.Cantonese sweet mooncakes usually use different pastes, nuts and egg yolk as the ingredients for the filling including lotus seed paste, red bean paste, black sesame paste, mung bean pastes or mixed nuts(五仁月饼). Firstly, the two important ingredients for the dough of Cantonese mooncake: lye water and golden syrup (invert syrup). Following picture is the store bought versions I get from bakery stores in China.

Lye water (枧水)
Lye water sometimes called as alkaline salt is a alkaline solution. Tradition Chinese lye water is made with Kansui powder (蓬灰) and alkaline. But today’s version is a combined alkaline solution contains potassium carbonate and sodium carbonate. The ingredient label on the store bought bottle contains 80% pure water, 15% sodium carbonate and 5% potassium carbonate. The lye water can raise the alkalinity (pH) to neutralize the acid in the golden syrup. Baking soda does too, but sodium hydroxide is far more potent. Another purpose is the Maillard reaction, which is responsible for the crisping and browning crust skins.
This one might quite hard to find.  Lye water You can try to search it at  large Asian store, especially with lots of bakery ingredients.  There are several approaches to make substitutes for lye water used in mooncake. They might work slightly different but can yield a very similar result.
Approach 1: dietary alkali  powder with clean water at the ratio of 1:4.
Approach 2: If you use baking soda directly, you will get much softer and less browned crust. So firstly bake baking soda on a lined baking tray at 120 degree C  for around 1 hour to turn it into stronger alkali. Do not touch it during the process to prevent skin irritation. And then mix 1 teaspoon of baked soda with 4 teaspoons of water. 
Approach 3:
A better substitute than baking soda due to its high pH is sodium carbonate. The pH value is between the pH of baking soda and lye water. I find this one on amazon.

mooncake ingredients|golden syrup

Golden syrup
I have tested several times with my fellow housewives, golden syrup can be replaced by honey.
Golden syrup is made with sugar, water and acidic material (lemon juice). It is also known as artificial honey usually used in moon cakes and other cakes to replace sugar. It can add sweet taste, create a deep dark color of the final cakes and maintain the water. You can either choose homemade version or store bought version.
If there is any chance that you need to make mooncakes soon and do not want to bother simmer 40 minutes or access to Asian stores, you can replace golden syrup with honey at the same amount. I have tested several batches last year. Honey can work as a reliable substitute. Following picture is the batch using honey instead of golden syrup. There is little difference in texture and taste, but it yield a light color comparing with the ones using golden syrup.

mooncakes made with honey

mooncakes made with honey instead of golden syrup

A few tips before starting your mooncakes

  1. You need a kitchen scale to measure all the ingredients, accurate amount really matters to the final texture and taste.
  2. Success mooncakes=well balanced taste+well wrapped fillings+well kept shape (including the clear pattern on surface)
  3. If you are using homemade paste filling, make sure your paste is dry enough. Moist fillings might cause cracks on the skin.
  4. Cover all the fillings and divided wrapper dough with plastic wrapper to prevent drying out.
  5. Do not use too much flour to dust, otherwise it influences the pattern.
  6. Mooncake assembling needs patience and skill.  I even spoil my first one during this batch(as it is my first batch this year). But wearing plastic gloves can make the process easier. But be gentle and slow down when pushing the wrapper up.

 

Let’s start making the beautiful mooncakes.

Attention: The following recipe is based on 7: 3 (filling vs wrapper) for 14 moon cakes around 50g. If you want to use ratio 8:2, adjust the ingredients accordingly.  And this is based on 50g moon cake shaping tool. If your egg yolk is too large, divide them into halves and wrap in two moon cakes.  I am using New Moon Cake Decoration Mold mould  to shape my moon cakes.

Wrapper : prepare all the other ingredients: golden syrup, alkaline water, flour and vegetable oil together. Combine golden syrup with vegetable oil and alkaline water in a large mixing bowl. Add flour in. Mix well. Knead to a ball, wrap with plastic wrapper and knead several times until smooth. Reset for 2-3 hour in refrigerator.

mooncake skin

Firstly all of the fillings should be prepared previously. I usually make them in the previous day. I combine lotus seed paste, mung bean paste, red bean paste, and black sesame paste this time. But it is ok if you choose only one filling.
Treat the egg yolk: If you can find fresh salted duck egg, crack the egg and then wash the egg yolk in clean water. Set aside to drain before using. If you are using packaged salted duck egg yolk, remember to sprinkle some white spirit (白酒) on the surface to remove raw taste.
Measure the filling:  I made 14 mooncakes in the video tutorial and 8 of them are loaded with salted egg yolk (Measure: egg yolk+paste filling=35g) and 6 of them are pure filling (30g).

Wrap the egg yolk with bean paste firstly:carefully shape into round ball and set aside. It is quite important to cover all of the ready fillings with plastic wrapper to prevent drying out. 

  1. When the crust dough is ready, use a kitchen scale to divide them into 14 balls (each 15g).Take one portion of the wrapper, press into a round wrapper (larger is better but do not break the wrapper) and then place one filling ball in center.
  2. Push the wrapper from bottom to top little by little until the whole ball is completely wrapped.
  3. Shape into a round ball. This step can help to make the skin as even as possible. Then slightly shape the ball into an oval so you can easily place it into the mould.
  4. Dust your mould with flour and then shake several times to remove the extra amount of flour. Use mooncake mould to shape it.
  5. When the assembling process is done, coat the ball with a layer of flour. Also coat your tool please. Place the ball on your board, then carefully cover with the shaping tool, press the rod and gently remove the cake from the tool.

Chinese traditional mooncake step--asseme the mooncake

Chinese traditional moon cake

Bake mooncakes
Preheat oven to 180 degree C  (356F). Spay a very very thin layer of water on the surface of the mooncake can help to avoid cracking surfaces. But too much water will spoil the pattern on the surface. Bake for 5 minutes to firm the shape.
In a small bowl, whisked one egg yolk with 1 tablespoons of egg whites.  Transfer the mooncakes out and brush a very very very thin layer of egg wash on the surface. Low the oven temperature to 170 degree C and put them back to the oven and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes. I baked around 16 minutes.

Mooncakes |China Sichuan Food

When well-baked, transfer out cooling crack to cool down completely.

Mooncakes

Keep and Serve
When the mooncakes are out of the oven, the skin is not oily like the ones on the market. We need the last step: place in an airtight container (I am using single package as I need to ship them to my family). Wait for around 1 or 2 days for the pasty to become soft (This process is named as”回油”, meaning the process of returning the oil to the surface).After this last step, mooncakes can be kept for around 2 weeks in fridge.

Mooncakes |China Sichuan Food

 

5 from 8 votes
Print
Chinese Mooncakes—Traditional Version
Traditional Cantonese Chinese Mooncakes.
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Chinese
Keyword: mooncake
Servings: 14 Making 14 moon cakes (50g*8 and 45g*6)
Calories: 178 kcal
Author: Elaine
Ingredients
Wrapper dough
  • 115 g plain flour
  • 28 g peanut oil ,around 2 tablespoons, or other vegetable oil
  • 1 tablespoon flour for coating the tool
  • 75 g golden syrup homemade or store bought
  • 2 g lye water
Filling:
  • 8 salted egg yolks ,each 10g
  • 380 g bean paste or black sesame filling ,25g*8+30g*6
egg wash:
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1 tablespoon egg white
Instructions
  1. Prepare the filling paste in the previously, lotus seed paste, mung bean paste or red bean paste.
To make the wrapper
  1. Combine lye water, golden syrup, and vegetable oil in a small bowl and then mix with flour. Stir until well combined. Wrap with plastic wrapper and then knead several times until smooth. Set aside in fridge for 2-3 hours.
  2. Transfer out and then divide into 14 equal balls (each one 15g)
Assembling
  1. Measure the fillings for egg yolk mooncake: paste+ egg yolk=35g. Measure the fillings for pure paste filling: paste filling=30g. Wrap the egg yolks with paste firstly. And shape all the filling into round balls. Take one portion of the wrapper, press into a round wrapper and then place one filling ball in center. Push the wrapper from bottom to top little by little until the whole ball is completely sealed. Shape it into a round ball firstly and then into an oval.Slightly dust your mooncake tool and press the rod and gently remove the cake from the tool.
  2. Preheat oven to 180C (356F). Spray a very thin layer of water on surface to avoid cracking surface (especially you used larger amount of dusting flour). Bake for 5 minutes.
  3. In a small bowl, whisked the egg yolk and combine with egg whites. Transfer mooncakes out and brush a very thin layer of egg wash on the surface.
  4. Continue bake for around 15 to 20 minutes until the mooncake becomes well browned.
  5. Transfer out to a cooling down crack to cool down completely. Place in an airtight containers. Wait for around 1 or 2 days for the pasty to become soft and oily. After the "oil return" process, keep the mooncakes in fridge up to 2 weeks.

Recipe Video

Recipe Notes

For mooncakes, smaller duck egg yolk around 10 grams each one is highly recommended. If your egg yolks are larger, for example near 20g. Divide it into two halves and wrap in two moon cakes.
When pushing the outer wrappers, be carefully and slow down your process. Do not break the wrapper. If you do, pinch any small holes together. The time needed for assemble one moon cake should be around 1 minute even you are quite skilled. Be patient during the process.

Nutrition Facts
Chinese Mooncakes—Traditional Version
Amount Per Serving
Calories 178 Calories from Fat 45
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 5g 8%
Saturated Fat 1g 5%
Cholesterol 125mg 42%
Sodium 7mg 0%
Potassium 20mg 1%
Total Carbohydrates 28g 9%
Dietary Fiber 1g 4%
Sugars 17g
Protein 4g 8%
Vitamin A 3.3%
Calcium 2.1%
Iron 6.1%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

 

mooncakes|China Sichuan Food

Pure Black Sesame paste mooncake after 1 day

Following picture is taken 3 days after baking.

mooncakes three days after baking

mooncakes three days after baking

Filed Under: dessert and bakery, Featured, Recipes, video

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  1. maria s says

    September 2, 2014 at 5:49 pm

    thanks for the detailed explanation! ah this is a great blog, i’m half Chinese and grew up in Beijing but I’ve never been realyl good at Chinese recipes, thanks for this! Here’s my blog which I hope you’ll take a look at too 🙂 http://www.happybelly.org.uk

    Reply
    • Elaine Luo says

      September 2, 2014 at 9:03 pm

      Hi Maria,
      Thanks for stopping by and leave me this lovely comment. Recipes on happyebelly look so yummy too. Happy cooking ahead.

      Reply
  2. Vegandare says

    September 8, 2014 at 12:38 pm

    Lovely, lovely, lovely cakes! They look yummy and beautiful. Could I ask you something? Where did you buy that nice tool? 🙂

    Reply
    • Elaine Luo says

      September 12, 2014 at 4:35 am

      Hi Vegandare,
      I get the moon cake tool from my local market. It should be found in Asian stores or Amazon.

      Reply
  3. chantima says

    October 31, 2014 at 2:25 pm

    Well done. thanks for the recipe.

    Reply
    • Elaine Luo says

      November 1, 2014 at 8:53 am

      Thanks Chantima,
      I am glad you like it too. They are much more than yummy to me.

      Reply
  4. Happy Baker says

    December 10, 2014 at 10:02 pm

    The recipe made far less than we expected – we only got 7 small moon cakes. The recipe specified way too much bean paste for the actual amount of dough. Things like size of eggs are not specified (assuming these are probably small size, but we routinely bake with large or extra large size eggs. The recipe does not specify which size tool. We bought the larger size tool from Amazon, and it was way too big for this recipe. Also, the recipe does not clearly say the amount of alkaline water. We made our own with one half teasoon baking soda to two teaspoons water. I suggest that you test your recipe multiple times with different cooks in different kitchens, and then revise and proofread your instructions very carefully. Also we went to H Mart, which is one of the larger asian food markets and they had never heard of golden syrup or alkaline water.

    Reply
    • Elaine Luo says

      December 11, 2014 at 2:28 am

      Hi there,
      Thanks for your suggestions. And I am not surprised that guys in H Mart did not heard of golden syrup and alkaline water because even in China, lot of people have not heard about the two stuff too. They are available in bakery ingredients stores around the festival. So that’s why even I can get store bought version, I spend much time testing and recording the process at home just in case that your guys cannot find them.
      For the alkaline water, I have noted that we need around 3 gm for this recipe. So I suggest making a large batch based on the ratio and take 3 grams out. Because it would be quite hard to measure 3/5g and 12/5g.
      For the size of the tool,it is my fault I did not specify the detailed guide about how to use it. I have added this section in the post. The weight of the wrapper and fillings should based on the ratio of between 3:7 to 2:8 for professional makers. The thinner the wrapper is, the better the moon cake will be. Since some of my batch does not use egg yolk. I use more red bean paste. I have updated the recipe to clarify the problem.
      And thanks for that egg size suggestion, I will pay attention in future recipes.

      Reply
  5. sedna says

    January 14, 2015 at 11:54 pm

    hello
    i’ll be grateful if it would be possible for you to help me and tell me how I can make the alkaline water at home.

    Reply
    • Elaine Luo says

      January 15, 2015 at 7:41 am

      Hi Sedna,
      You can make alkaline water by mixing dietary alkali with clean water at the ratio of 1:4.

      Reply
  6. sedna says

    January 18, 2015 at 12:08 am

    hi Elaine Luo
    thank you
    you know I’ve prepared some alkaline water as what I read in some papers by adding some lime juice to water at the ratio of 1:4
    but when I tested it by pHmeter I saw an acidic pH instead of alkaline one(as what I saw in some papers and many websites.)
    thank you again

    Reply
    • Elaine Luo says

      January 18, 2015 at 1:53 am

      Hi Sedna,
      No lime juice is not right for alkaline water because lime juice is acidic not alkaline. You need to find a food additive named as edible alkali or possibly alkaline powder.

      Reply
  7. Anthony says

    February 14, 2015 at 11:14 am

    Hi Elaine, it’s a helpful recipe you have here.
    After reading this, I’m quite interested and curious to make a “baked” snowskin moon cakes, by using the wrapper in this recipe and the filling in your snowskin moon cakes recipe.
    I want to ask you a question about a process in this recipe.

    “Place in an airtight container with film wrapped. Wait for around 1 or 2 days for the pasty to become soft (This process is named as”回油”, meaning the process of returning the oil to the surface).”

    Is this process required in this recipe because of the egg yolk inside the filling recipe? Or is it because of the wrapper recipe?
    It would be great if you could help me, Elaine! Big thanks!

    Reply
    • Elaine Luo says

      February 15, 2015 at 12:42 am

      Hi Anthony,
      That’s a good question! That’s a complex process. Firstly the ingredients of the wrapper including the Golden Syrup, flour and oil will form well-mixed texture. However during the baking process, the wrapper will loose water, then the water from the filling (also include extra oil) will transfer to the wrapper to soften it. After absorbing the water and oil, the previous well-mixed texture will be destroyed, causing the separation of water and oil. So the moon cakes will be shiny and soft. So it is neither because of the wrapper nor the filling. I hope I make myself clear because it seems quite confusing.

      Reply
      • Anthony says

        February 15, 2015 at 3:42 am

        Ah, I see. Thanks for the answer, Elaine.
        But still, I have some other questions.
        1. In the ingredients section, it’s written 2 grams in Alkaline water. Is it the total alkaline water used in the recipe or just the amount of dietary alkaline in the mixing?
        2. What if I use a different filling method? I was thinking about using the filling of your Baileys Chocolate Snowskin Mooncakes recipe, which doesn’t require the soaking and draining process. Do you think that would be a good idea for this recipe?
        I’ve been reading some articles that Snowskin is better to be eaten while it’s cold because it isn’t baked and because of the bacterial factor. So I was trying to make an alternative for that, by making a baked one using the wrapper from this recipe and the filling from the other recipe.

        Reply
  8. hello says

    May 25, 2015 at 5:58 pm

    Hello!
    I really love your recipes but I noticed a really awkward typo on this one.
    In the ingredients you wrote
    “Golden Syrup, I just recommend boil a little bit more each bitch for later usage (need 75g for this recipe )”
    I think you meant to write batch instead…

    Reply
    • Elaine Luo says

      May 25, 2015 at 6:50 pm

      Thanks so much!! I have correct the typo.

      Reply
  9. 苹果 says

    September 10, 2015 at 11:35 pm

    I got bluffed by other websites, I should use this recipe instead!

    Reply
    • Elaine says

      September 11, 2015 at 2:31 am

      You have already made your moon cake for this year?

      Reply
  10. Erica says

    September 18, 2015 at 5:39 pm

    Hi can u be more specific with the recipe on how to make the alkaline water?? I am still confused what u mean by ratio 1:4. Are u able to tell me in how much ml in breakdowns etc? Can i buy alkaline powder then mix with boiled cool water u mean??

    Reply
    • Elaine says

      September 19, 2015 at 10:15 pm

      Hi Erica,

      I have updated the recipe with teaspoon measurement concerning about the alkaline water. And yes, you can mix alkaline powder with boiled cool water. But you can use clean water directly also.

      Reply
  11. Brim says

    September 19, 2015 at 4:10 pm

    Hi there, hope I can get some expert advice to make my mooncake better 🙂 You are definitely right, it is fun to make mooncake if we got time. I find it is just like playing puzzle. heh
    I came across that my dough is a bit dry. Therefore, I am not sure if I need to increase the syrup or the oil. Which one should I increase and help the dough better?
    I have gas oven and all my heat come from the bottom. Should I bake it on top or lower rack or it doesn’t matter?
    Some recipe ask to spray some water before baking, what do you think about it?

    Reply
    • Elaine says

      September 19, 2015 at 10:04 pm

      Hi Brim,

      You can slightly add more oil if the dough is too day. As for the oven, I never tried to bake mooncake in a bottom heating oven. But I think as long as the temperature is even and exact enough, it does not matter.

      Yes, spray some water before baking can prevent the moon cake dry out during the baking process especially if you are using a slightly larger amount of during flour. But not too much and avoid spoil the patterns.

      And thanks for the tip, I will update it in recipe

      Reply
  12. lulu says

    September 25, 2015 at 9:46 pm

    Hello, just wanted to say your recipe is AMAZING and thank you for taking the time to share it. I had a quick question about leaving the final product for 2-3 days. Do you leave it out or put it in the fridge for 2-3 days? Thank you 🙂

    Reply
    • Elaine says

      September 25, 2015 at 10:47 pm

      Hi Lulu,
      Thanks for stopping by and leaving me such a lovely comment.
      If it is cool on your side, it is ok to leave them in room. However it is over 28 degree, refrigerator will be a better place.

      Reply
  13. Mandee says

    September 27, 2015 at 6:07 pm

    Hello!!

    I was so excited to see this recipe with such detailed instructions when I was searching to find out how to make them for the mid-autumn festival! We are adopting a little girl from China and she will be home with us in March, we are very excited but I think it is really important to be able to cook for her the way that she is used to so I will be following your site for more authentic recipes! I will search all of your posts but do you also have recipes for steamed bread or low mien? According to her orphanage she loves those foods especially!!! Thank you so much again! Cant wait to start! And I can not wait to incorporate all of the amazing Chinese traditions and holidays in our own family celebrations!

    Reply
    • Elaine says

      September 28, 2015 at 7:27 pm

      Hi Mandee,

      You are so sweet and caring. I bet the little Chinese girl will have wonderful childhood with you guys. I have lots of steamed bun recipe and noodles recipe on the site. You can search by using the searching bar on the side. Hope you will like my recipes. Happy cooking ahead.

      Reply
  14. Peter Sharples says

    September 30, 2015 at 8:30 am

    Hi,
    My Chinese wife was disappointed not to find mooncake at our two local Chinese stores last week, so I thought I’d give her a pleasant surprise by making some at home in the next few days while she’s out at work. My main question is about the red beans for the red bean paste. The ony ones I can find in Western supermarkets are red kidney beans. Is this the right variety of bean to use? If not, please tell me exactly what to buy and I’ll look for it at one of the chinese stores. The only other point is the alkaline powder: I guess you mean bakng soda?
    Thanks in advance for your help.
    Peter S.

    Reply
    • Elaine says

      September 30, 2015 at 10:11 am

      Hi Peter,
      You are such a caring husband! For the red bean paste, you need to use small red bean or Adzuki red beans but not kidney beans. I found they available on Amazon. As for the alkaline powder, it is different from baking soda. But if you really cannot find it, you can use baking soda instead. However I would recommend testing the baking soda water overnight before using.

      Good luck and I am looking forward to your good news.

      Reply
      • Peter says

        September 30, 2015 at 10:18 am

        Thank you very much Elaine for the prompt reply. It’s a good job I asked! I’ll let you know how it works out, but it won’t be for a week or so because of other commitments.

        Reply
        • Elaine says

          October 1, 2015 at 7:06 am

          Take your time and enjoy the adventure. Peter. Good luck!

          Reply
  15. Annie says

    August 26, 2016 at 2:35 am

    Thanks but I find your recipe quite confusing. The castor sugar, water and fresh lemon juice are the ingredients for the gOlden Syrup so it is be much clearer if you place put a “:” behind the golden syrup. It looks like those 3 ingredients and the golden syrup are separate ingredients.

    Reply
    • Elaine says

      August 27, 2016 at 9:53 pm

      Thanks Annie for the suggestion. This recipe in fact is quite complex and I just tried very hard to get myself understood. Please tell me if you find any other confusing expressions. Thanks again!

      Reply
  16. Susanne says

    September 10, 2016 at 2:58 am

    Then you have a double birthday – one at autumn day and one at calendar day. I like the idea. And the pretty mooncakes really fit the occasion.

    Reply
    • Elaine says

      September 11, 2016 at 8:20 pm

      That’s true! I usually celebrate the calendar birthday with my friends and then mid-autumn day with my family.

      Reply
  17. Wen says

    September 12, 2016 at 7:41 am

    hi Elaine,
    thanks for the recipe and I have tried to bake the mooncake and now sitting in the air tight container for 1 day already, just wondering why the moon cake turn very hard like rock once I have taken out from the oven and let them cool down. are they will turn soft and moist again after 3 days? the moon cake top didn’t crack and the colour also look ok not too dark, so I’m not sure which part going wrong, I’m not sure if I over baked so they turn hard once they cool down? you advise much appreciated

    Reply
    • Elaine says

      September 12, 2016 at 10:03 am

      Hi Wen,
      It is quite normal for the wrapper to be stiff like “rock” because there is a very small amount of water in the wrapper due to emulsification and baking. After 1 to 3 days(possibly longer due to your syrup), the mooncake wrapper absorbs the water of the the filling, which further breaks the emulsification. Then wrappers release oil and turn soft and moist again.
      So just be patient and pass everything to time.

      Reply
      • Wen says

        September 13, 2016 at 6:45 am

        thank you for your reply Elaine. you make me feel less worry 🙂 hopefully my moon cake will turn soft and moist in next couple of day.

        Reply
  18. Wee Chong Tee says

    September 12, 2016 at 9:34 am

    Moon cake video I saw.
    I like it very much Very prefect. My comment is *****

    Reply
  19. Jamie says

    September 16, 2016 at 12:15 pm

    Thank you for this recipe and the video! Of all the recipes I’ve looked at, this seems the most doable.

    Question – you don’t have a link to a recipe for the black sesame paste you used. I found a recipe on your site (Tang Yuan recipe) – is this the paste you used here? Also, did you leave the egg out of the black sesame filled cakes?

    Reply
    • Elaine says

      September 19, 2016 at 12:47 pm

      In every batch, 6 of the 14 mooncakes have only paste filling. No egg yolk as one of my family member do not eat egg yolk. The black sesame filling of Tangyuan is different from Mooncakes. If you want to make black sesame filling, toast 100g black sesame seeds and then blend with around 30g sugar and 35g oil until very fine and smooth. And then mix in 25g to 30g sticky rice flour (or you can use all-purpose flour).

      Reply
  20. rick says

    September 17, 2016 at 7:49 am

    is this lye water?

    https://www.amazon.com/Potassium-Carbonate-Soluti-20-3oz-Pack/dp/B00VP9T97K/ref=sr_1_1_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1474069391&sr=8-1&keywords=Lye+water

    Reply
    • Elaine says

      September 19, 2016 at 12:35 pm

      Not the traditional Lye water, but a great substitute.

      Reply
  21. Chad says

    November 17, 2016 at 10:24 am

    Hi Elaine,

    First – THANK YOU for your wonderful and informative blog!

    Two questions please, with the mooncake recipe above, if honey is used instead of golden syrup, is lye water necessary?

    Second, where did you find those wonderful plastic cases for your cakes? They are beautiful!

    Thank you in advance.

    Reply
    • Elaine says

      November 17, 2016 at 10:27 am

      Hi Chad,
      If you use honey instead of the syrup, I still recommend adding the lye water. It can help to coloring the mooncakes.
      I purchase the mooncake tool from taobao, but I find it is available on Amazon too.

      Reply
  22. Chad says

    November 18, 2016 at 8:27 am

    Thanks Elaine,

    I ordered your recommended mooncake tool from amazon. I was actually asking about the individual airtight containers you are using in your picture, black bottom and clear top. Where did you get them?

    Chad

    Reply
  23. Annie says

    May 5, 2017 at 8:05 pm

    Hi Sis Elaine, i have 1 question.
    Does the egg yolk use in this recipe,is the raw one?
    As i look into other recipes,they did cooked it first by steam it or bake it for +-10 min.
    If yes in this recipe using raw egg yolk, i found the last result after cutting the baked moon cake shown brilliant color compared to those steam/bake egg yolk(i like it very much)

    Reply
    • Elaine says

      May 8, 2017 at 8:51 am

      Hi Annie,
      I use raw egg yolk directly. There is lots of recipes asking to bake the egg yolk firstly but I found it is unnecessary. I only spread some white spirit on surface to remove the odd taste. But do not use large raw yolks.

      Reply
  24. RD says

    August 21, 2017 at 1:50 am

    Floral cakes by Jessica MV does bean paste work on cakes.
    1) mung bean paste- bows & macrames
    2)kidney bean paste- beads, sequins& embroidery
    flowers
    3)lotus seed paste- David Austin rose

    Do you have a recipe for it?

    Reply
  25. CONNIE says

    September 24, 2017 at 9:24 am


    Love yuebing!! Thanks for sharing the recipe!! I just tried making a batch, but em yuebing expands in the oven, destroying he floral pattern…any tips on how to get how to get a crisp look like the ones you’ve made? Thanks!!

    Reply
    • Elaine says

      September 24, 2017 at 10:24 am

      Are you using homemade filling or store-bought filling?

      Reply
  26. Stella says

    September 25, 2017 at 6:41 am

    Hi Elaine.
    I planning to make this mooncake this year but im still cant get the alkaline water on hand. Can i substitute it with ordinary baking sods plus 1 egg yolk. If i can then how many baking soda that i need and do i need to dissolve it in water or just add in into the golden syrup.
    Please reply to me as soon as possible.
    Tq.

    Reply
    • Elaine says

      September 25, 2017 at 3:08 pm

      Hi Stella,
      If you plan to use baking soda, spread them on a lined baking pan and bake for 1 hour at 120 degree C. Then mix with water using the ratio of 1:4 (baking soda vs water). We still need 2g only.

      Reply
      • Elaine says

        September 25, 2017 at 3:09 pm

        By the way, never touch the powder with hands.

        Reply
  27. Mrs Yeap says

    October 8, 2017 at 8:15 am

    Hi Elaine,
    Thank you for sharing your recipe.
    I just baked mooncake using your recipe. It was a success!?!!
    I use store bought lotus paste 1kg and low protein cake flour.
    I took shortcut, I put the dough in the freezer for 40 minutes because my little girl?? can’t wait for 3 hours….
    It still works.
    Your dough recipe x 2.5 times; i get 9 x 125g & 5 x 63g mooncakes. All without egg yolks.

    Thank you
    ?

    Reply
    • Elaine says

      October 8, 2017 at 3:28 pm

      Thanks for this great comment. Lotus paste is my favorite filling.

      Reply
  28. Mrs Yeap says

    October 8, 2017 at 8:17 am


    The 5 stars rating is here

    Reply
  29. Cacá says

    November 4, 2017 at 12:32 am


    Hi Elaine!
    Is it possible to substitute the plain flour for another gluten free flour?
    Can I use agave instead of the golden syrup?
    Thakk you so much!

    Reply
  30. Jasmine says

    August 28, 2018 at 10:33 am

    Hello! I made your mooncake recipe about a week ago and it was great, but the filling (I made red bean) was really dry even after I left it for about 5 days. Could you give me some advice? I made sure to cook the filling till it was quite dry to make sure it didn’t make the skin too oily afterwards but it’s just really crumbly now…
    I’m Asian so I eat mooncakes every year and the store bought mooncake have smooth, sticky fillings and in comparison mine is just dry and crumbly… Is it meant to be like that??

    Reply
    • Elaine says

      August 29, 2018 at 7:58 am

      Jasmine,
      There are several reasons can causing mooncakes do not turns oily after days. Based on your description, your filling might be fried too dry (a lack of water or oil). If you prefer a smooth filling texture, increase the oil amount by 1/2 and shortening the frying time.

      Reply
      • Jasmine says

        September 1, 2018 at 8:08 pm

        Hello thank you for replying! Should I increase the amount of oil instead of boiling the beans for longer then?
        Because I actually tried it again about 2 days ago, except I really really boiled the beans till they were very soft. Of course I ended up having to fry it for longer afterwards but I did think it was dry enough in the end. But then after the 2 days the mooncake skin got really really sticky and wet (although the filling is nice and smooth)!! Should I not be boiling the beans for so long, or should I just fry longer afterwards??
        Sorry for so many questions! I want my mooncakes to look like yours- they look so nice and the red bean filling looks so smooth and tasty! I can’t get it right. 🙁

        Reply
        • Elaine says

          September 2, 2018 at 9:47 pm

          Jasmine,
          No. There is no need to further cook the beans as long as they are soft and can be easily broken.
          The more water the filling contains, “回油” process can be quicker and stronger. If your skins gets sticky, it means the filling contains too much water. You need to continue frying it.
          I suggest you increase the oil to 40 grams and have a try with a smaller batch of Wrappers.

          Reply
  31. lee says

    September 15, 2018 at 1:46 am


    Thank you for sharing the recipe. I try the snow skin mooncake and it come out perfect.
    For the above mooncake recipe do you have the ratio for 75g mold and 100g mold?
    Thank you.

    Reply
    • Elaine says

      September 20, 2018 at 11:26 am

      Hi Lee,
      I do not make larger mooncake previously so currently unable to provide precise amounts. But you can simple calculating by multiplication based on the amount given in the recipe. For example, if you plan to make 75g mooncakes, use 1.5 times for both filling and wrappers.

      Reply
  32. happycyclist says

    September 20, 2018 at 6:02 am


    These are beautiful snapshots of your creation. Thank you for sharing!

    Reply
    • Elaine says

      September 20, 2018 at 7:43 am

      Thank you!

      Reply
  33. Jasmine says

    September 24, 2018 at 5:02 pm

    Hi! I don’t know if you remember but I was the one who asked a little while ago about my mooncakes being too dry- well I tried it again, except this time with your lotus filling- and it was great!! My parents really liked it (and they really liked the maltose taste- I’ve never had it before, but my parents loved it! 🙂 My mum had a little nostalgia since she used to eat maltose sweets as a kid!)
    But I have another problem now… I noticed that when I take my mooncakes out of the oven and they cool down, the filling shrinks (from when it expanded in the oven) but the skin doesn’t, so between the filling and skin there are air bubbles?? Like when I push down I feel air trapped between the skin and filling! Any suggestions??
    Thanks for the great recipe (I will try the red bean filling next time with the suggestions you made!) and wishing you a happy Mid-Autumn festival!!

    Thanks for the great recipe (I will try the red bean filling next time with the suggestions you made!) and wishing you a happy Mid-Autumn festival!!

    Oh no I’m sorry I meant to give it 5 stars but I clicked 4 by accident (I’m on my phone)!! I don’t know how to change it so I’ll leave this comment here so others know what I meant!!
    Sorry!!

    Reply
    • Elaine says

      September 25, 2018 at 9:22 am

      Never Jasmine for the wrong rating. I have already updated your two comments together.
      As for your problem, the most possible reason is that there are too much water in your filling. After baking, the water runs away and make the filling shrinks.

      Reply
  34. Jasmine says

    September 26, 2018 at 12:15 pm


    Hi Elaine! I left a comment I think 2 days or so ago but I just checked and for some reason it’s disappeared?? So I’m leaving another comment here because I had a question in my other comment I wanted your help on!!
    The mooncakes turned out great but when I take them out of the oven and the filling shrinks (from when it expanded in the oven) there are air bubbles between the filling and skin! Like when I push the skin lightly on the sides I can feel air trapped between the filling and skin.
    Any suggestions to solve this? Thanks so much!

    Reply
    • Jasmine says

      October 23, 2018 at 7:01 am

      Hi! Just wondering about the question I asked! Sorry to be annoying, but a reply would be super appreciated!!

      Reply
      • Elaine says

        October 23, 2018 at 8:50 am

        Sorry Jasmine for the late reply. I did not notice the previous question. If the filling shrinks too much, the most possible reason is too much water in the filling. I believe most of your problem happens because of the filling. Can you purchase any store-made filling on your side?

        Reply
        • Jasmine says

          October 25, 2018 at 8:34 pm

          Hello, it’s no problem at all, thanks so much for replying! I haven’t seen store bought filling before but I’m sure I could find it!
          I do want to make it myself though! Thank you so much for the advice- do you think my oven temp or how I wrap the filling could be issues as well?

          Reply
  35. Chelsea says

    November 10, 2018 at 9:25 am


    Is leaving it for 3 days required or optional?

    Reply
    • Elaine says

      November 10, 2018 at 7:16 pm

      Required.

      Reply
  36. Julia says

    August 16, 2019 at 3:32 am

    Hi Elaine, Mid-Autumn Festival is almost here and I would like to make some mooncakes but searching online, I can only find the typical recipes for the filling but cannot find one for winter melon filling. Would you happen to know a recipe for winter melon filling mooncake? Do you think it’s the same as the ones for a sweetheart cake (lo-por bang)?

    Reply
    • Elaine says

      August 17, 2019 at 7:31 am

      I know the filling. We usually use it for Lo Por Bang, I believe should be wife’s cake. Will try to make this one after back home.

      Reply
      • Julia says

        August 19, 2019 at 12:52 am

        That sounds great! If you end up making it please do post it!

        Reply
  37. Emily Clark says

    November 27, 2019 at 11:55 pm

    To be honest, I never tried a Chinese recipe before but my husband insisted me on trying this one. Looks yummy and you did an awesome job sharing these wonderful pictures inside the article.

    Reply
    • Elaine says

      November 28, 2019 at 7:32 pm

      Thanks so much, Emily. I love to make my mooncakes present appealing.

      Reply

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