Recipe: Suzhou Mooncake

Suzhou Mooncake 鮮肉月餅

By Margarita Lee

Mooncake filling: 

• 200g Minced pork
• 1 tbsp Ginger paste 
• 1 tbsp Spring onion (white part only, finely chopped) 
• 20g Pickled mustard root (finely chopped; 榨菜）
• 1 tbsp Garlic paste 
• 1 tbsp Light soy sauce 
• 1 tsp Dark soy sauce
• 1/2 tsp Pepper
• 1/2 tbsp Sugar 
• 1 tsp Salt 
• 2 tsp Sesame oil
• 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine 
• 30ml Water 

Preparing the filling:

1. Combine all the above ingredients in a mixing bowl. 
2. With a pair of chopsticks, stir the meat mixture to form a paste. Add water gradually while stirring. 
3. Cover and set aside to chill in the refrigerator for a minimum of 1 hour.

 

Ingredients for water-oil dough:

• 120g All-purpose flour
• 12g Sugar
• 1g Salt
• 40g Lard 
• 50-52g Water

Preparing the water-oil dough:

1. Combine the above ingredients in a large bowl. Knead the dough to a smooth, elastic consistency. 
2. Cover the dough with cling wrap. Let the dough rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. 

 

Ingredients for oil dough:

• 90g Low protein flour
• 45g Lard

Preparing the oil dough:

1. Mix the flour with lard. Use your fingers to work the lard into the flour.
2. Shape the dough into a ball, then cover with cling wrap and let the dough rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. 

 

To assemble the mooncakes:

1. Divide the water oil dough and oil dough into 9 pieces each. Divide them equally with a scale and roll each piece into balls (approximately 19.3g water oil and 11.4g oil dough).
2. Cover the dough balls with a damp cloth to prevent them from drying out. Rest the dough for 10 minutes.
3. Flatten the water-oil dough into a disc and place a ball of the oil dough in the centre. Wrap the water-oil dough around the oil dough and seal it tightly. Then, place the ball of dough aside and cover with damp cloth, ensuring that the opening of the dough is facing up. Repeat until all the dough is combined. Rest the dough for 10 minutes.
4. After leaving the dough to rest, flatten the combined dough from the centre with a rolling pin to form a long rectangular shape. Then, roll it up like a Swiss roll. Repeat with the remaining dough. Cover with a damp cloth and leave for another 10 minutes. 
5. Rotate the rolled dough vertically, flatten the dough again in a long rectangular form, and roll again like a Swiss roll. Repeat with the remaining dough and rest the dough for another 10 minutes. 
6. With your finger, press the middle of the roll, then bend the strip with the swirl side facing up, and press down. 
7. Roll out the dough into a flat disc and place the filling on top. Wrap the fillings with the dough, using your hand to gently shape into a ball. 
8. Gently flatten the dough ball, then decorate the dough with a stamp. This process is optional. Alternatively, brush egg wash over the dough and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
9. Preheat the oven to 190℃, then place the mooncakes on a parchment-lined baking tray and bake for 25 minutes. 
10. Serve immediately. This mooncake is best eaten hot. 

Note: 

You can prepare the mooncakes in advance. Refrigerate or freeze them, then bake them before serving.

 

Check out more of Margarita’s recipes on her FB @ Umummy Food

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