Recipe: Onde-onde Mooncake

The Mid Autumn Festival is soon upon us, which means it’s also the time when a galore of mooncakes are available for purchase in various establishments. Unusual flavours on the market could be on the expensive side, so why not try making some of your own instead? Margarita is once again back to share some of her very own mooncake recipes with our lovely readers, just in time for the festivities!

Onde-onde Mooncake

by Margarita Lee

Ingredients 

Dough: 

• 50g Glutinous rice flour
• 50g Rice flour
• 25g Wheat starch
• 25g Sugar 
• 25g Condensed milk 
• 100ml Milk 
• 50ml Coconut milk
• 30ml Pandan juice
• 25ml Oil (infused with pandan)

Filling:

• 250g Shredded coconut
• 70g Gula Melaka
• 50ml Water 
• ½ tsp Salt
• 30g Butter
• 20g Wheat starch 
• 2 Pandan leaves (tied into knot)

Dusting powder:

• 15g-20g of glutinous rice flour (stir fried in a pan on low heat for 5 minutes)

Method

Dough:

1. Place dough ingredients (except 25ml oil) in a mixing bowl and stir to combine well. Drain the mixture through a sieve and into a shallow dish.
2. Cover the dish with cling wrap and steam over high heat for 25-30 minutes.
3. Remove from heat, then add in oil while mixing the dough with a dough scraper. Leave it to cool.  
4. Scrape the dough out onto a board. 
5. Lightly knead by hand with gloves on until smooth. Cut dough into 15 portions weighing 25g each. Keep in the fridge.

Filling:

1. Combine Gula Melaka with water and simmer over medium heat until well dissolved. Sieve mixture before use.
2. Add shredded coconut in a pan, then pour in the prepared Gula Melaka syrup, pandan leaves, salt and butter. Stir continuously for about 5 minutes.
3. Sieve in the wheat starch and cook for 2-3 minutes or until all moisture is absorbed. 
4. Transfer the filling into a bowl. Leave to cool down completely. 
5. Divide onde-onde fillings into 15 portions weighing 25g each. Roll into balls and keep in the fridge. 

Assembly:

1. Remove the dough balls from the fridge and place one between 2 sheets of non-stick baking paper. Press to flatten the dough ball and roll it out thinly into a flat circle.
2. Wrap the flattened dough around the filling and shape it into a ball. Ensure that there are no exposed parts. 
3. Dust the mooncake mold with prepared dusting powder.
4. Shake off excess flour and place the filled ball into the mold, then press to imprint the pattern. 
5. Repeat steps 1 to 4 for all remaining dough and fillings.
6. Store the mooncakes in an airtight container, with a kitchen paper-towel on top to prevent any condensation on the mooncakes’ surface. 
7. Refrigerate for 3-4 hours before serving .