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Mooncakes
Mooncakes
are eaten during the Moon Festival. The traditional pastry has a
flaky skin with a lotus seed paste and a whole egg yolk in the center
(to symbolize the moon). However, lotus seed is very expensive, so red
bean paste is often substituted. Red bean paste is quite labor
intensive taking several days to make. Typically these mooncakes are
purchased at Asian markets and bakeries. Today, one can find many
variations on the stuffing including nuts, fruits, sweet potatoes, and
melon.
pastry
4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons dark corn syrup
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
6-7 tablespoons cold water
filling
1/2 cup chopped dates
1/2 cup orange marmalade
1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
1/4 cup sweetened flaked coconut
1/4 cup coarsely chopped raisins
glaze
1 egg
1 tablespoon milk
Preheat oven to 375°F.
Combine dates, marmalade, walnuts, coconut and raisins in medium bowl;
set aside.
Sift together flour, baking powder, and sugar.
Slowly beat in corn syrup and oil.
Add eggs, one at a time.
Add a little of the cold water, use just enough to hold dough together.
Roll out dough between two pieces of wax paper until 1/8" thick.
Carefully remove the top sheet of wax paper.
Cut out 4" rounds.
Place about 2 tablespoons of filling in the center of each round.
Gather the edges of dough, pinch together to seal in the filling.
Form pastry into a ball shape and place about 2" apart on an ungreased
cookie sheet, seam side down.
Slightly flatten balls to flatten tops.
Make the glaze by whisking together the egg and milk.
Brush tops and sides of the pastry with the glaze.
Bake 25-30 minutes or until golden browned, don't overbake.
Let cool on cookie sheet 1 minute then transfer cookies to wire racks
to cool completely.
Mooncake
photograph courtesy of Wikipedia.
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