
Golden pastries with lotus seed paste and salted egg yolk
Prep Time
1 hr
Cook Time
25 min
Total Time
2 hr 25 min
Servings
8
8 mooncakes
Difficulty
Advanced
Cost
Moderate
$$
Golden pastries with lotus seed paste and salted egg yolk
Ornately pressed pastries with a thin, tender crust encasing rich lotus seed paste and a golden salted egg yolk center. Mooncakes are the iconic Mid-Autumn Festival treat symbolizing unity and togetherness.
60m
Prep Time
25m
Cook Time
145m
Total Time
8
Servings
Hard
Difficulty
Moderate $$
Cost
(Updated )
Making mooncakes from scratch is a labor of love and a deeply rewarding experience. The intricate mold patterns, the golden crust, and the luxurious filling make these pastries truly special.
Mix golden syrup, oil, and alkaline water. Add flour gradually and knead into a soft dough. Rest overnight.
Bake salted egg yolks at 350F for 5 minutes to firm them. Cut each in half.
Divide lotus seed paste into 8 portions. Flatten each and wrap around half an egg yolk.
Flatten a piece of dough, wrap it around the filling, and press into a mooncake mold. Tap to release.
Brush with egg wash and bake at 375F for 10 minutes. Remove, cool 5 minutes, brush again, and bake 10 more minutes until golden.
Serve over steamed jasmine or sticky rice
Pair with a side of pickled vegetables or kimchi
Add a drizzle of sesame oil and toasted sesame seeds for extra flavor
Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream
Both are traditional mooncake fillings
Slightly different flavor but similar consistency
Test Kitchen Pick
Soy Sauce
Helpful Pantry Staple
This style of cooking leans heavily on a few foundational condiments. A better soy sauce is usually the fastest pantry upgrade to notice.
The savory base here starts with a more useful bottle, not another gadget.
If this cuisine shows up regularly in your kitchen, soy sauce is one of the best-value pantry upgrades.
Shop soy sauce for this recipeLet finished mooncakes rest 2 to 3 days in an airtight container for the crust to soften and oil to return.
Work quickly with the dough as it becomes sticky when warm.
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.
Serve at room temperature. Briefly warm in a 300F oven for 5 minutes if desired.
Per serving (55mg) · 8 servings
A moderate-calorie serving · based on a 2,000 cal daily diet
Nutritional values are approximate and may vary based on specific ingredients and preparation methods.
Sarah Chen is a professional recipe developer and food editor with over a decade of experience in test kitchens and food media. She trained at the Culinary Institute of America before spending six years developing and testing recipes for national food publications, where she honed her ability to translate restaurant techniques into approachable home cooking. At RecipePool, Sarah leads recipe development, ensuring every dish is tested at least three times for clarity, accuracy, and genuine deliciousness. When she is not in the kitchen, she is browsing farmers markets and collecting vintage cookbooks.
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