This is a version of Snow Skin Mooncakes, which are becoming very popular for the soft and chewy mochi enveloping a range of sweet fillings. For an extra nutty take on the traditional mooncake, we’ve included a crunchy macadamia in the centre instead of a salted egg yolk.
This recipe is easy enough for anybody to make from home, in every colour of the rainbow! All you’ll need is a mooncake press or decorative tray mould.
INGREDIENTS
400g filling of red bean paste or lotus seed paste
225g pack of Dry Roasted macadamias, shelled
60g icing sugar
215g milk
25g vegetable oil
50g glutinous rice flour (plus 25g, divided)
35g rice flour
35g corn flour
Food colouring
METHOD
Combine the icing sugar, milk and oil. Sift in 50g glutinous rice flour, 35g rice flour, and 35g corn starch and mix until smooth. Let the mixture rest for 30 minutes.
Pour the mixture into a heat-proof bowl and cover it with clingwrap. Place the bowl into a steamer and steam for 25 minutes or until it has turned translucent and does not wobble in the centre.
Once cooked, carefully remove the bowl from the steamer and remove the clingwrap. Mix the dough with a wooden spoon or with heat-proof gloves until the oil is well absorbed and the dough is smooth. When cool enough to handle, portion off the dough and knead 1-2 drops of food colouring well into each section using your choice of colours. Wrap each section in clingwrap and chill for an hour.
Cook the remaining 25g glutinous rice flour in a dry pan over low heat for 6-7 minutes, stirring constantly until it turns a very lightly brown colour. Set aside to cool completely. Once cooled, dust your mooncake mould very well. Shake off the excess.
Now, using a dough to filling ratio of 1:1, we will roll the filling and dough into balls about the same size, ensuring that one of each will fit into your mooncake mould. Press a shelled macadamia kernel into the centre of the filling balls.
Dust a work surface with the cooked glutinous rice flour and roll a ball of dough using a dusted rolling pin. Place a ball of filling in the centre of the dough circle and gently press the dough together to close the opening.
Carefully place the ball inside the mould and press gently but firmly to stamp the beautiful pattern onto the mooncake. Continue this process until all the mooncakes are assembled.
