Jujube Paste Mooncakes

Name: Jujube Paste Mooncakes
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 1 h
Cuisine: China
Ingredients: 200 g of flour (sifted); 140 g of simple syrup (golden invert sugar syrup); 50 g of vegetable oil (peanut or sunflower); 1/2 tsp of baking soda (dissolved in warm water); 1 tsp of water (warm); 400 g of jujube paste (or very dense sweet chestnut spread); 8 egg yolks (salted, steamed and cooled); 1 egg yolks (beaten)

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The traditional mooncake wins people over with its golden, finely embossed crust and its tender center that combines sweetness with a salty note. A must for the Mid-Autumn Festival, this pastry is traditionally shared in wedges with a cup of steaming black tea.

Total time: 1 h
Prep: 45 min
Cook: 15 min
Rest: 48 h
Difficulty: Hard
Per person: €1.75

By the CookinBreak team

Ingredients 8

pieces

Estimated cost €14.00

For the dough

1 ⅔ cups floursifted
½ cup simple syrupgolden invert sugar syrup
3 ¾ tbsp vegetable oilpeanut or sunflower
½ tsp baking sodadissolved in warm water
1 tsp waterwarm

For the filling

1 ⅓ cups jujube pasteor very dense sweet chestnut spread
8 egg yolkssalted, steamed and cooled

For the egg wash

1 egg yolksbeaten

Equipment

Pastry brushsoft bristles for a very fine egg wash
Baking sheetcovered with a sheet of parchment paper
Water spray bottleto moisten the cakes before baking
Kitchen scaleaccurate to the gram
Mooncake moldplunger-style, 75 g to 100 g, with traditional patterns

Instructions

Tap a number to check off the step, and a time to start a timer.

Mix the sugar syrup, neutral oil and baking soda previously dissolved in the warm water until you get a smooth, uniform emulsion.

Sift the flour over the liquid mixture, then gently bring together with a spatula without kneading to form a soft dough, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and let rest at room temperature.
Weigh out eight portions of jujube paste at about 50 g each, flatten them slightly in the palm of your hand, then place one of the salted egg yolks in the center and fully enclose the filling to make nice round balls.
Divide the rested dough into eight even pieces of about 45 g each, roll each piece into a very thin disc, carefully enclose a ball of filling in it and roll gently between your palms to press out the air.
Lightly flour the balls and the inside of the mooncake mold, insert each piece, press firmly against the baking sheet lined with paper to imprint the pattern, then gently unmold.
Preheat your oven to 375 °F in conventional mode, spray a light mist of water over the surface of the cakes to keep the crust from cracking, then bake for until the dough sets without browning.
Take the cakes out of the oven, let them cool , apply an extremely thin film of egg yolk with the brush over the raised parts, then return them to the oven at 350 °F for until nicely golden.
Place the cakes on a rack to cool completely, then store them in an airtight container for two to three days before eating so the crust softens and takes on its characteristic satiny shine.

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Goes well with

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Nutrition facts

per serving · estimate

395kcal

Protein7 g7%
Carbs60 g61%
Fat14 g32%
Fiber3 g

Share of each nutrient in the calories of one serving.

Good to know

Chef's tip

For crisp floral patterns, don't overdo the egg wash: brush an almost dry brush only over the raised parts. If the egg yolk runs into the hollows of the design, the carved details will disappear during baking.

Freezing : Can you freeze this recipe?

Yes

Freezes very well, cooked, up to 3 months in an individual airtight bag.

Storage : How long does it keep?

Keep up to 2 weeks in an airtight container at room temperature.

Making ahead : Can you make it the day before?

Yes

Dough and fillings can be shaped the day before, stored in the fridge under plastic wrap.

Reheating : How do you reheat it?

Eat at room temperature. Optional: 3 min in the oven at 150°C to revive the crust.

Variations

Sweet chestnut spread version: replace the jujube paste with a very firm sweet chestnut spread with a touch of neutral oil added to help it hold its shape.
Vegetarian version without salted egg yolk: double the amount of sweet paste to fill the inside entirely with jujube or lotus seed paste.
Five-nut version: swap the smooth paste for a crunchy filling of almonds, walnuts, sesame, candied melon and chopped hazelnuts bound with syrup.

Mistakes to avoid

Using too much egg wash: the excess clogs the molded designs and gives a burnt crust instead of a crisp amber color.
Eating the cake straight out of the oven: the dough is then dry and crumbly; it needs at least 48 hours of rest in a closed box to become tender and glossy.
Working with dough that is too warm or too sticky: if the dough sticks, very lightly flour the mold and tap it to remove the excess before pressing in the dough ball.

Frequently asked questions

Why do my mooncakes crack while baking?

An oven temperature that is too high or skipping the water spray before baking abruptly dries out the thin dough wrapper. Be sure to lightly mist the mooncakes with water before baking them at 190°C.

What can I use instead of jujube paste if I can't find it?

You can use a dense red bean paste (anko), a date purée thickened in a skillet or a firm sweet chestnut spread to get a pliable, stable consistency.

How do I prepare the salted egg yolks before filling?

Gently rinse the raw yolks under a thin stream of cold water to remove the white film, brush them with a drop of white rice liquor, then steam them for 5 min before letting them cool.

What is the mooncake oil-return phenomenon?

Called huiyou, this natural phenomenon lets oil and syrup migrate from the filling into the crust during two days of resting. The dough then becomes soft, shiny and tender in the mouth.