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Traditional Mooncakes with Mixed Nuts Recipe

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★★★★★

4.4 from 80 reviews

Traditional Mooncakes with Mixed Nuts feature a rich and flavorful filling made from a blend of aromatic orange peel, lap cheong sausage, candied winter melon, pork floss, roasted nuts and seeds, and salted duck egg yolks, all encased in a tender, flaky dough. These mooncakes are perfect for celebrating the Mid-Autumn Festival or enjoying a festive treat that offers a delightful balance of sweet, savory, and nutty flavors.

Ingredients

Scale

Mixed Nuts Filling

  • 0.35 oz orange peel
  • 1.75 oz lap cheong sausage
  • 0.1 oz kaffir lime leaves
  • 2.8 oz candied winter melon
  • 1 oz candied ginger
  • 1.75 oz pork floss
  • 1.75 oz roasted chicken (about 1 roasted drumstick)
  • 1 oz roasted cashew nuts
  • 0.9 oz roasted pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
  • 1 oz roasted watermelon seeds
  • 0.5 oz roasted white sesame seeds
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons Mei Kuei Lu wine, divided
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons neutral-flavored oil, plus more for cooking
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons five-spice powder
  • 2 tablespoons glutinous rice flour, toasted
  • 8 salted duck egg yolks

Mooncake Dough

  • 7 oz all-purpose flour or cake flour, plus more for dusting
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 1 oz neutral-flavored oil
  • 3.75 oz golden syrup or maltose (to sweeten and soften the dough)

Egg Wash

  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • 1 teaspoon water
  • 1/2 teaspoon soy sauce
  • 1 large egg yolk

Instructions

  1. Prepare the Mixed Nuts Filling: Finely chop the orange peel, lap cheong sausage, kaffir lime leaves, candied winter melon, candied ginger, roasted chicken, and roasted nuts and seeds. In a mixing bowl, combine all these ingredients along with pork floss, water, soy sauce, 1 tablespoon Mei Kuei Lu wine, neutral oil, five-spice powder, and toasted glutinous rice flour. Mix thoroughly to form a sticky, well-incorporated filling.
  2. Cook the Filling: Heat a pan over medium heat, add a little neutral oil, and stir-fry the mixed nuts filling mixture briefly to enhance flavor and ensure all ingredients are warmed through. Remove from heat and let cool completely before assembling.
  3. Prepare Salted Duck Egg Yolks: Rinse the salted duck egg yolks and steam over boiling water for about 5 minutes until just cooked through. Allow to cool.
  4. Make the Mooncake Dough: In a bowl, combine flour and baking soda. In another bowl, mix the egg yolk, neutral-flavored oil, and golden syrup or maltose until smooth. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet, mixing to form a soft dough. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let it rest for 30 minutes.
  5. Assemble the Mooncakes: Divide the rested dough and the filling into 16 equal portions. Flatten a piece of dough into a disc, place about 2 tablespoons of filling on top, and press a salted duck egg yolk in the center. Carefully wrap the dough around the filling to enclose it completely. Dust mooncake molds with flour and press each wrapped ball into the mold to form the traditional shape.
  6. Apply Egg Wash: Mix honey, water, soy sauce, and one egg yolk to make the egg wash. Gently brush the surface of each molded mooncake with the egg wash for a rich, glossy finish.
  7. Bake the Mooncakes: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Place the mooncakes on a lined baking tray and bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven, brush with egg wash again, then return to bake for another 10-15 minutes or until golden brown.
  8. Cool and Store: Remove the mooncakes from the oven and let cool on a wire rack. For the best texture and flavor, store the mooncakes in an airtight container for 1-2 days before serving to allow the skins to soften and flavors to meld.

Notes

  • Toast the glutinous rice flour in a dry pan over medium heat until it turns lightly golden and fragrant before using.
  • You can substitute lap cheong sausage with Chinese sausage of your preference if unavailable.
  • Golden syrup or maltose can be found in Asian grocery stores and is essential for traditional mooncake dough texture.
  • Ensure that the egg wash ingredients are well combined to achieve a shiny and even coating.
  • Resting the dough before shaping helps to develop the gluten and improves the texture of the mooncakes.
  • Use a mooncake mold to get the traditional embossed patterns; lightly flour the mold to prevent sticking.

Keywords: traditional mooncakes, mixed nuts mooncake, mid-autumn festival dessert, Chinese mooncakes, nutty mooncake filling

Find it online: https://mjrecipe.com/traditional-mooncakes-with-mixed-nuts-recipe/