Mooncake or jyut beng(月餅) is a traditional Cantonese pastry especially popular during Mid-Autumn Festival(中秋節).

Different varieties of mooncakes are popular across China and elsewhere in Asia, and Cantonese-style mooncakes(廣式月餅) are one of the most popular

Mid-Autumn Festival(中秋節), also known as Moon Festival or Mooncake Festival, is a celebration of the fall season and the harvest. It is a time for family reunion and togetherness. Each year, families gather for fall equinox on the night of the full moon, wishing the year’s harvest is as full and large as the moon.

Mooncakes are shared with family, friends, coworkers, and neighbors. The round mooncakes are a symbol of reunion, and the egg yolk often included inside represents the full harvest moon.

Cantonese mooncakes have a chewy, golden crust made with lye water or kansui(鹼水) and invert sugar or golden syrup. When combined, these ingredients emulsify, which creates the foundation for the special crust.

Cantonese mooncakes are usually decorated with motifs such as flowers, the moon, or Chinese characters; sometimes they are even shaped like a fish or piglet.

Traditional fillings for mooncakes include lotus seed paste or lin jung(蓮蓉); sweet bean paste or dau sa(豆沙), which is often made with mung beans; black sesame; and five nut filling or ng jan(五仁). Fruit and even meat can also be used.

Normally, salted duck egg yolk is added to the center, which also helps balance the sweet mooncakes.

Mooncakes are generally sliced for serving, especially if large.

Lotus Seed Paste(蓮蓉) Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 cup lotus seed, germ removed, soaked 4 hours to overnight
• 4 cup water
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tbsp oil

Directions

• boil lotus seed, water
• simmer until tender, adding water if dry; 15 to 30 minutes
• drain any excess water
• blend or mash into paste
• cook paste, sugar over low to medium heat
• gradually mix in oil
• let cool
• use or store

Quick Salted Egg Yolk(鹹蛋黃) Recipe

Ingredients

• 5 duck or chicken egg yolk
• ¼ – ½ cup salt
• ¼ – ½ cup rice wine

Directions

• layer salt in container
• shape indentations in salt and add egg yolk
• layer salt to cover yolk
• let sit until somewhat firm, 24 to 36 hours
• remove yolk from salt
• thoroughly brush off salt
• soak yolk in rice wine 5 to 10 minutes
• drain
• bake about 5 minutes at 350°F
• let cool
• use or store

Invert Syrup(轉化糖漿) Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup water
• ¼ cup lemon juice

Directions

• combine sugar, water
• bring to boil
• mix in lemon juice
• simmer until color darkens and consistency thickens slightly, 30 to 60 minutes
• let cool
• use or store

Substitute for Lye Water(鹼水) Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 tsp baked baking soda (bake baking soda about 1 hour at 250°F and let cool) (WARNING: do not touch with bare hands, even when cooled)
• 4 tsp water

Directions

• mix baked baking soda into water until dissolved
• use or store

Mooncake(月餅) Recipe

makes 10 small mooncakes

Ingredients

• ½ tsp lye water(鹼水) [substitute other alkaline solution such as sodium carbonate water]
• ¼ cup golden syrup or invert sugar(彰化糖漿)
• 1 tbsp oil
• ½ cup all-purpose flour or cake flour
• ½ – 1 cup filling paste, such as lotus seed paste(蓮蓉) or bean paste(豆沙)
• 2 – 3 salted egg yolk(鹹蛋黃), divided into 2 tsp pieces (optional)
• 1 egg yolk

Directions

• mix golden syrup, lye water until well combined (emulsified)
• mix in oil
• gently fold in flour and knead until combined
• cover and rest 30 minutes
• gently knead
• cover and rest another 15 to 30 minutes
• divide filling into balls by shaping 2 tsp filling around salted egg yolk or 4 tsp plain filling
• separate dough into 2 tsp pieces
• flatten each dough piece and wrap around a filling ball
• smooth ball and dust evenly with flour
• press into mold
• transfer to baking sheet
• bake until firm, about 10 minutes at 350°F
• remove and brush with egg yolk
• bake until color deepens, about 10 more minutes at 350°F
• let cool and rest 24 hours or more
• serve