mid autumn festival

Soft and slightly chewy snowskin filled with creamy custard and a fresh tangy strawberry. Perfect for this mid-autumn festival!

Strawberry Snow Skin Mooncakes

Glutinous rice flour (1/3 cup)

Rice flour (1/3 cup)

Wheat starch/corn starch (2 tbsp 2 tsp)

White sugar (1 tbsp 1 tsp)

Milk (1/2 cup 2 tbsp)

Vegetable oil (1 tbsp 1 tsp)

Milk powder (1/3 cup 2 tsp)

Cornstarch (3 tbsp)

Milk (1/3 cup 4 tsp)

Eggs

Sugar (1/4 cup)

Unsalted butter (2 tbsp 2 tsp)

Glutinous rice flour,

strawberries

Combine the milk powder, cornstarch, milk, eggs and sugar together in a bowl and whisk to combine

Pour the custard base into a small saucepan over medium heat and whisk continuously until the mixture begins to thicken

Using a rubber spatula continue to mix the custard until it thickens enough to form a ball

Mix the custard until the butter is fully incorporated

Wrap the custard in clingwrap and place it in the fridge to cool completely

Custard

Combine the rice flours, wheat/corn starch, white sugar and milk, whisk together until smooth

Cover the mixture and steam for 20 minutes, or until the centre is fully set

Roughly mix the mixture and allow it to cool completely

Using your hands knead the dough until the oil is completely absorbed

Remove one-third of the dough and knead in your desired colouring/flavouring, I used freeze-dried raspberry powder but you can use food colouring

Divide the white dough and pink dough into 5 equal parts

Combine the pink and white dough together to form 5 balls and set aside

Snow skin

Once the custard has cooled divide it into 5 equal portions (each should weight ~50g) 

Wrap a whole strawberry in each portion and form into a balls

Lightly coat a ball of snowskin in glutinous rice flour

Flatten the ball and roll it out with a rolling pin to form a circle

Place a ball of custard in the centre and pull the sides of the snowskin in to enclose the custard

Smoothen the surface of the dough and shape it into a mooncake using the dusted mould

Repeat with the remaining custard and dough

Refrigerate for 1-2 hours to set before serving

Assembly

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dIJ8l7_UONA

Strawberry Snow Skin Mooncake | Custard Snowskin Mooncake Recipe | Catherine Zhang

The snow skin mooncake is made with a tender and fragrant mochi wrapper and a creamy custard filling. This recipe does not require special ingredients that are hard to find and you can get everything online if you don’t live close to an Asian market. It’s the perfect recipe to celebrate Mid-Autumn Festival.The recipe contains more flour than regular custard so it’s easy to form the mooncakes.

Snow Skin Mooncake with Custard Filling (冰皮月饼)

(6 tablespoons) cornstarch

(2 teaspoons) all-purpose flour

(1/2 cup) granulated sugar

((2 cupc) whole milk

(2 tablespoons) butter

vanilla extract

(1 cup) glutinous rice flour

(1 cup) rice flour

(1/2 cup) cornstarch (, and extra for coating the mooncakes)

(3/4 cup) confectioners sugar

(1 and 1/2 cup) whole milk

(1/3 cup) vegetable oil

(50-gram) Mooncake mold

Mix the cornstarch, all-purpose flour, and half of the sugar together in a small bowl.

Place the egg yolks in a large bowl. Stir a few times to mix the yolks.

Add the milk and the remaining half of the sugar into a small saucepan. Heat over medium heat. Stir occasionally to dissolve the sugar completely. Cook until it reaches about 120 F/ 49 C (no more than 150 F / 65 C). You might see a few bubbles here and there. If the milk starts foaming, it’s too hot.

While the milk starts to get warm, add the dry ingredients (from step 1) into the bowl with the egg yolks. Whisk until it forms an even paste. Do not add the dry ingredients too early, because the sugar will change the texture of the eggs.

Add the warm milk into the egg yolk mixture, about 1/4 cup at a time. Whisk constantly until the milk is fully incorporated into the paste. Continue to  add more milk a 1/4 cup at a time and keep stirring, until it forms a thin, smooth mixture and all the milk is added.

Return the mixture back into the pot (the one you used to heat the milk). Heat over medium heat and stir constantly, until the mixture thickens, 5 minutes or so. Keep cooking and stirring, until you can draw a line on the bottom of the pot using a spatula. (Note, the custard will start to thicken suddenly, like a switch was flipped. So you should keep a close eye on it.)

Remove the pot from the stove immediately. Add the butter and vanilla extract. Stir to mix well.

Line a large deep plate with plastic wrap. Place a large mesh strainer on top.

Pour the custard into the lined plate over the strainer to smooth out the texture. Use a spatula to press the strainer if any lumps remain.

Cover the custard with plastic wrap. Press the wrap against the custard, so it won’t form a skin once it’s chilled.

Chill the custard in the fridge until it’s cooled completely, 2 hours or so. Or in the freezer for 30 mins.

Make the custard

Prepare a large bowl that can fit into your steamer. Place a large strainer on top.

In another medium-sized bowl, add the glutinous rice flour, rice flour, and cornstarch. Mix well with a fork.

Line a large mesh strainer over the bowl and sift the confectioner's sugar through it. Use your fingers or a spoon to press the sugar through if any lumps exist.

Add the milk, oil, and vanilla extract into a small bowl. Stir to mix well.

Use your fork to form a hole in the middle of the flour. Add 2 to 3 tablespoons of the milk mixture at a time. Stir until the liquid is incorporated into the flour completely. Repeat the process until it forms a very runny batter.

Pour the mixture into the large bowl (you prepared in step 1) over the strainer. Press the lumps using a spoon. Once strained, the mixture will thicken a little bit.

Prepare a steamer by pouring 1 inch (2.5 cof water into the steamer pot. Cover and heat over medium-high heat until boiling. Place the bowl with the batter into the steamer rack. Place the rack over the boiling pot. Cover and steam until the batter is cooked completely, 15 to 20 minutes. After 15 minutes, examine the dough by inserting a spoon into the middle. The spoon should come out clean, and the dough should feel very stiff.

Once done, remove the lid, and transfer the steaming rack with the bowl onto your kitchen counter to cool off for a few minutes.

Fold a kitchen towel a few times and place it on your working surface. Remove the bowl with the dough wearing oven mitts, and transfer the bowl onto the towel.

Scrape the dough from the bowl and knead it using a spoon, until it forms a dough ball, 5 minutes or so.

Transfer the dough onto a clean surface. Note, do not add any flour onto the surface or dust your hands with it. Knead the dough using your hands until it’s smooth, 5 minutes or so. The dough will soften once done.

Wrap the dough with plastic wrap and chill it in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Prepare the mooncake dough

You can keep the dough and the custard filling refrigerated for a couple of hours, up to overnight, until ready to assemble. The dough will become a bit stiff if you chill it overnight. If you want the freshest taste, you should assemble the mooncakes the same day you make the dough and filling.

Ingredient storage

Form the custard into balls - Measure 25 grams of filling (about 1 round tablespooand use your hands to press and roll, until it forms a ball. You can wear rubber gloves to help with this process.

Transfer the filling balls into a container and cover it with the lid. Chill for another 30 minutes.

Form the dough into balls - Measure 25 grams of dough (about 1 round tablespooand use your hands to roll it into a ball. Place the dough balls into a container and cover. Chill in the fridge until the custard is ready to use.

Place the dough ball on a clean working surface. Use a rolling pin to roll it into an even, thin, round disc that is about 4” (9 to 10 cin diameter. Carefully remove it from the surface onto your palm.

Place a custard ball in the center of the wrapper. Use your other hand to gather the wrapper onto the top of the custard filling. The dough sheet will start to form pleats and create a thicker layer. Try to pinch the extra dough together using your fingers, and pinch off the dough. The process will keep the mooncake skin even and thin, to create a better mouthfeel. Once done, place the mooncake onto a plate, pleated-side-down. Loosely cover it with plastic wrap to prevent them from drying out. Repeat the process to wrap the rest of the mooncakes.

Assemble the mooncakes

Install the pattern plate into the mooncake mold, with the pattern side facing downward. If you’re using the round shape, you can twist the lever of the mold so the pattern plate will snap onto the lever. It’s not required but it makes the process a bit easier.

Dust the mooncake with a very thin layer of cornstarch. (*Footnote 1)

Carefully place the wrapped mooncake balls into the mold, smooth surface against the pattern plate.

Place the mold onto a clean, flat surface. Gently press the lever until the dough is against your table surface. Hold it for at least 30 seconds. It will help the pattern to form. Once done, push the lever to release the mooncake. Repeat the process to mold all the mooncakes.

The mooncakes are ready to eat!

To mold the mooncakes

Transfer the mooncakes into an airtight container. Store them in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. To enjoy the mooncakes with a better texture, transfer them to your kitchen counter and wait for them to return to room temperature. You can eat the chilled mooncakes, but the skin will be a bit stiff.

Note, do not freeze the mooncakes. This will change the texture of the custard and make it very grainy.

Storage

Traditional Mooncake Recipe

Plain flour (1 3/4 cup + 4 tsp)

Golden syrup (1/3 cup + 1 tsp)

Vegetable oil (3 tbsp 1 tsp)

tsp Baking soda

Water

Egg yolk

tsp Egg white

tsp Sesame oil

tsp Golden syrup

Mix baking soda and water together in a small bowl 

Combine flour, golden syrup, vegetable oil and baking soda mixture together in a mixing bowl

Stir the mixture until a shaggy dough forms, then knead with your hands to form a dough

Form the dough into a rough ball and cover with cling wrap

Mooncake Skin

Using a scale portion out each mooncake's filling with two egg yolks and your choice of filling- the total weight should be approximately 75g 

Enclose the egg yolks in the filling and roll into a ball

Continue with the remaining filling and form 8 portions of filling, set aside until use

Filling

Uncover the rested mooncake skin dough and portion into 8 x 50g portions, roll into balls

Place one portion between two pieces of cling wrap and roll into a circle that will enclose the filling

Remove the rolled dough from the cling wrap and carefully cover the portioned filling, bringing the edges together and shaping to close gaps

Place the mooncake ball on a baking tray lined with baking paper, smooth side up

Lightly oil the mooncake mould (I used a 100g mould) and use it to press the ball into a mooncake shape 

Remove the mould and repeat with the remaining filling

Remove from the oven and lightly spray with water, prepare the egg wash as they cool 

Combine all egg wash ingredients in a small bowl and whisk together until combined

Using a small food-safe brush lightly brush the mooncakes with the egg wash

Remove the mooncakes from the oven and brush with another layer of egg wash

Increase the oven to 200C/390F and bake the mooncakes for 10 minutes, until golden brown

Remove from the oven and cool completely before placing in an airtight container

Allow the mooncakes to sit at room temperature for 2-3 days for the skin to soften and soak up oils from the filling, the colour will deepen and the skin will become glossy

Store at room temperature for up to a week and enjoy!

Assembly + Egg wash

Hi Catherine, great recipe! I have been looking for one which doesn't use lye water. I have seen some other recipes use cake flour instead of plain flour, can you explain to me what the difference will be and why you chose to use plain flour? Thanks!

These soft and not too sweet blue pea flower snowkin mooncakes is quick and easy to make and it&#039;s best to consume these Blue Pea Snowskin Mooncakes within 3 days.

Blue Pea Flower Snowskin Mooncakes

blue pea flowers + 80 milliliters water

35 g glutinous rice flour

g rice flour

g wheat starch (or cornstarch)

g icing sugar (sifted)

ml blue pea flower water (50 milliliters) + milk (75 milliliters)

g corn oil

some kao fen (cooked glutinous rice flour) (for dusting)

Boil 20 pcs blue pea flowers +80ml water boil with one pandan leaf for a minutes.  Cover with lid and leave to cool and strain, then get 50ml blue pea flower water.

In a bowl combine all the dry ingredients together and mix well. Pour in blue pea flower milk mixture and stir well. Then pour in corn oil and mix mixture thoroughly.

Strain mixture into a greased (cooking oil) baking dish. Cover baking dish with aluminium foil and prick some holes with a skewer.

Steam for 25 minutes at high heat. You&#039;ll find there is a layer of oil on top of the cooked dough after steaming.

Roughly cut dough with a rubber spatula and knead it in a plastic bag to combine. Then knead it to a smooth dough by hand when the dough is not too hot to handle. Wrap it up with cling wrap and chill the dough for 30 minutes in the refrigerator.

Divide dough into 10 round balls, about 23grams each. Use a rolling pin to flatten the dough between to two plastic sheets and wrap in lotus paste. Dust with some kao fen (cooked glutinuous rice flour) and gently press it into mould and stamp out.

Keep the snowskin mooncakes in an airtight container with a piece of aluminium foil on top. Keep chilled before serving. The moonies can stay soft up to 3 days.

[IMAGE]

The mooncake is a staple dessert in Chinese cultures, especially during the Mid-Autumn Festival — a time to celebrate the harvest and look up at the moon.

This recipe combines two types of dough to create a multitude of flaky layers and a beautiful purple swirl on the outside. Meanwhile, a sweet taro filling and salted duck egg yolk, representing the moon, awaits inside. Anyway you roll it, be sure to enjoy this delicacy with friends and family as you gaze up at the moon.

Thousand-Layer Taro Mooncakes were the Technical Bake for Harvest Week in Season 7 of The Great Canadian Baking Show.

Thousand-Layer Taro Mooncakes

<h2 dir="ltr">Special Equipment</h2>

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	<li dir="ltr">
	Steamer basket
	</li>
</ul>

Thousand Layer Taro Mooncakes

Thousand-Layer Taro Mooncakes

450 g taro root, peeled and cut into ½-inch dice

(100 g) sugar

½ tsp kosher salt

tbsp taro yam powder

(213 g) all-purpose flour

sugar

lard

water

(142 g) all-purpose flour

tbsp (84 g) lard

purple liquid gel food colouring

Pearl lustre dust

Thousand Layer Taro Mooncakes Step 1

Thousand Layer Taro Mooncakes Step 2

Thousand Layer Taro Mooncakes Steps 3 & 4

Thousand Layer Taro Mooncakes Step 5

My homemade traditional mooncake uses a creamy nutty black sesame filling paired with salted duck egg yolk, creating a rich yet not-to-sweet pastry that is much more fragrant than the store bought ones. I’ve included detailed step-by-step pictures along with a video, showing you how to make this delicate Chinese pastry in your own kitchen.

Traditional Mooncake (传统广式月饼)

140 g (1 1/3 cups) black sesame seeds (, toasted)

80 g (2/3 cup) fine white sugar

60 g (4 tablespoons) butter

150 g (1 cup) white beans (, well drained)

maltose ((Optional))

duck egg yolks (, halved (*footnote 1))

golden syrup

g (3/8 teaspoon) kansui

vegetable oil

salt

cake flour

milk ((or water))

mooncake mold

Scale ((*Footnote 2))

Pastry brush

Add the black sesame seeds into a food processor. Blend until the sesame seeds start to seep oil and thicken, about 2 minutes. Use a spatula to thoroughly scrape the paste from the walls and bottom of the food processor. Blend again until it forms a fine paste, 1 to 2 minutes. Scrape the paste from the walls and bottom.

Add sugar and white beans. Blend again until everything is fully mixed. If the paste is too thick to blend, you can add a very small amount of water. Transfer the paste to a bowl.

Heat half of the butter in a medium-sized skillet over medium heat until melted. Add the bean paste. Cook and stir until the butter is fully absorbed. Add the rest of the butter and cook until fully absorbed. Add the maltose if using. Cook and stir until the paste becomes quite dry and able to hold its own shape, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer the sesame paste to a plate and spread it out. Let cool completely. You can store the sesame paste in the fridge to make it easier to handle later.

To make mooncake filling

Combine golden syrup, kansui, vegetable oil and salt in a large bowl. Mix with a spatula until emulsified.

Add cake flour into the bowl. Gently fold the dough with a motion of scraping from bottom to top, like you are folding a cake dough. Do not stir the dough in a circular motion. It will toughen the dough.

When the flour is fully combined, shape the dough into a ball with your hands. The dough should be soft and a bit sticky but still hold its shape. Seal with plastic wrap. Let rest for 2 hours.

To make mooncake dough

Once it has cooled off, divide the sesame paste into 30-gram portions if not using duck egg yolks. Or add half a duck egg yolk and some sesame paste onto a scale, so that it weighs 30 grams in total. Shape the sesame paste into a ball, then press the center to form a disk. Place the egg yolk in the center. Wrap the sesame paste around the yolk until fully covered, then shape it into a small ball. Place it onto a tray,

Once you have shaped all the mooncake fillings, cover them with plastic wrap and place them in the freezer. Wait until the balls harden so they’re easier to handle, 30 minutes or so. (*Footnote 3)

Once the mooncake dough is rested, scoop and measure 20g dough pieces. Shape each dough piece into a ball using your hands. Then place them onto a large tray. Cover the tray with plastic wrap to prevent the dough from drying out.

Measure the mooncake filling and dough

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment.

Place a dough piece onto your palm and use your thumb to flatten the dough from the center, until it forms a round disk that is thinner in the center and thicker on the outside. Place the black sesame filling in the center. Carefully wrap the dough around the filling. Spread the dough until it seals the filling in completely. The dough should be very soft but not sticky, and easy to shape, like soft clay. (*Footnote 4) If you find the dough too thick in some spots, pull off the dough and smooth the surface. It doesn't matter if the dough is so thin that it reveals the color of the filling. Roll the dough between your hands until the dough forms a smooth ball.

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The most viewed mid autumn festival recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine