Teochew Spiral Mooncakes 2018 芋头酥

This year homemade two batches of Teochew Spiral Mooncakes, total 24 pieces. The filling is homemade purple yam paste. I love the end result, the flaky pastry with very pretty natural colour of violet for the filling. 

Most of the spiral mooncakes was served to my Life Group members, some were as a gift to church friends. We had an awesome time celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival while kids get to play traditional paper lanterns with candle. Hope they enjoyed this homemade not so sweet goodies for the Mid-Autumn Festival. A piece of taste from home. 

for 24 pieces has to double the below recipe:
Ingredients:
water dough:
200g plain flour
15g sugar
70g vegetable shortening
105ml cold water

oil dough:
160g pastry flour
80g vegetable shortening
a few drops yam paste
a few drops food colouring (paste)

Filling:
500g purple yam 
80g fine sugar
30g butter
20g full cream milk powder

Method:

1. Prepare the filling: Peel off the skin of yam, cut the yam into small cubes. Steam the yam in steamer for 20 mins. When it is done, mash the yam with a fork. Add the sugar, butter and milk powder, mixed well. Set a side to cool. 

Divide the yam paste into 12 portions. Roll it into balls. (If you place it into fridge overnight, make sure to bring back to room temperature before use)

2. Prepare the water dough: Add all ingredients for water dough together, knead for a while (~5 mins) to form soft and pliable dough. Cover with plastic cling and let it rest in the fridge for ~30 mins. 

3. Prepare the oil dough: Add all ingredients for oil dough together, use the hand to form a rough dough. (Do not over knead the dough). Cover with plastic cling and let it rest in the fridge.

4. Assemble: Divide the water dough and oil dough into six portions respectively. Roll them into round balls. Take a water dough ball, flatten and wrap in oil dough. Flatten the dough ball with your palm and use the rolling pin to flatten the dough into long shape, roll up Swiss roll style. Let the dough rest for 10 mins. 

Flatten the rested dough into long shape again, roll up Swiss roll style. Let the dough rest for ~20 mins. Cut the dough into half. The cut side face upward and flatten the dough with palm. Flip the cut side downward and wrap in the yam paste filling. Bring the edge together and seal. Repeat for the remaining dough. 

5. Place the Mooncakes dough on lined baking tray and bake at 170C for 25~35 mins. or until the flaky swirl appears. 

Chinese Steamed Pumpkin Cake 蒸金瓜糕

This Chinese Steamed Pumpkin Cake or Steamed Savoury Pumpkin Cake was done more than two months ago. A dish which I ate a lot when I was young, my mum loves to cook this Chinese Steamed Pumpkin Cake, the saltiness of dried shrimps, minced pork and dried mushroom in this dish blended in so well with the sweet smooth pumpkin paste. It is a dish I wish I can cook more often!

I was updating a setting in my blog, a chance for me to read what I had written many years ago. I love reading my own posts where I could find traces of my memories, I wish I'm still able to carry on writing my baking journey as much as I can in the way I love. 

Making a 26 cm round tray and a 15 cm round tray.

Mooncake Order 2018

This year is the first year I'm selling the mooncakes. Baked about 70 pieces of Traditional Baked Mooncakes and made 100 pieces of Lychee Liqueur snowskin mooncakes. I learnt a lot from this "test run" provided by my church ladies, the management of timing, the ordering of boxes, the storage and delivery issues. I'm grateful of the confidence they have on my baked goods. 

A note for myself on traditional baked mooncake, the CSR Golden syrup is a better brand than Lyles for me as it is more cost effective, the ratio of the golden syrup and peanut oil are crucial to get the pretty imprint on the mooncakes. 

For the snowskin mooncakes, the liquid contains will has an effect on the snowskin texture, add more liquid if possible, the kneading and resting of dough are important.