By Margarita Lee
Ingredients:
300g plain flour (sifted)
200g golden syrup
70g peanut oil
5g lye water (alkaline water)
1/2 tsp sodium bicarbonate
200g homemade or store-bought plain lotus paste
Method:
- Sift the flour and sodium bicarbonate together and set it aside.
- In a large bowl, mix together the golden syrup, peanut oil, lye water, and lotus paste until well combined.
- Gradually add the flour to the mixture and stir until a smooth dough forms.
- Cover the dough and let it rest for 3-5 hours, or until it’s no longer sticky to the touch.
- Divide the dough into portions of about 30g each. Roll each portion into a ball and press it into a mooncake mold to shape.
- Preheat the oven to 170°C. Mix a small amount of water or milk with an egg yolk to create an egg wash.
- Place the mooncakes on a baking tray and bake on the middle rack at 170°C for about 8 minutes, until firm. Remove the tray from the oven and apply the egg wash to the mooncakes.
- Return the tray to the oven and bake for an additional 6-8 minutes.
- After baking, let the mooncakes cool on a wire rack. Allow them to rest overnight, then let them “return to oil” for 2-3 days before storing in an airtight jar or box.
Tip: The baked figurine mooncakes can be stored for up to two weeks.
