Mooncakes with Salted Egg Yolk & Lotus Paste Recipe (with Video)

Make the outer layer dough
1. In a large bowl, use a spatula to mix together honey, peanut or vegetable oil, and lye water until everything’s incorporated well.
2. Add in the flour (start with 120g) and fold until it becomes a smooth and shiny dough.
3. Test the dough by pressing 2 fingers flat on the dough and releasing: the dough should be tacky, but not sticking to your hands.
4. Depending on how much water content the honey you’re using has, you may have to add more flour to reach this tacky texture.
5. Cover the dough and let it rest for 1 hour.
6. While the dough rests, start preparing the filling.
Prepare the filling
1. Make sure your salted egg yolks are clean and dry.
2. Place 1 salted egg yolk on the kitchen scale, and then add enough lotus seed paste to bring the total weight to 35g.
3. Repeat for all 18 salted egg yolks, and make sure to keep them paired.
4. Take the lotus seed paste of your first pair and roll it into a ball.
5. With your thumb, press down into the ball to create a pocket.
6. Lightly press in the salted egg yolk, and enclose it gently and evenly without any gaps between the paste and the yolk.
7. Repeat for the rest until you have 18 lotus paste-wrapped yolks.
Wrap the outer layer around the filling
1. After the outer layer dough has rested for 1 hour, remove from the bowl.
2. Test the tackiness of the dough with your fingers again — if it’s too sticky, add a bit more flour.
3. Using a kitchen scale, measure out 18 dough balls weighing 15g each.
4. Spread flour on a clean working surface, your rolling pin, and your hands to prevent sticking.
5. Gently roll out a dough ball evenly until it’s about 2.5in wide.
6. Put the rolled out piece of dough onto your palm, and add the ball of lotus paste filling in the middle.
7. Turn it over so that the outer layer is sitting on top, then gently wrap and encase this dough evenly around the lotus paste, making sure to close any gaps.
8. Repeat for the rest of the dough balls.
9. Place a clean towel or plastic wrap over the wrapped lotus pastes to prevent them from drying out.
Press and bake the mooncakes
1. Preheat your oven to 350F.
2. If using a toaster oven, start with 325F.
3. To keep the oven air humid and prevent your mooncakes from cracking, keep a tray of water underneath the mooncakes.
4. Prepare a baking tray lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
5. Dust a little flour into your mooncake mold and shake out any excess.
6. Sprinkle a little flour on the wrapped lotus paste, spread it around the surface of the dough, then place it inside the mooncake mold.
7. Flip the mold over onto the parchment-lined baking sheet and gently press down until you feel resistance, then “stamp” it a few more times.
8. Press out the mooncake carefully.
9. If it sticks, it means you need to add more flour to the dough before placing it into the mold.
10. Repeat with the rest, making sure to space them at least 1-2 inches apart.
11. Lightly mist the mooncakes with water, then place into the oven and bake for 5 minutes.
12. In the meantime, mix 1 egg yolk + 2 teaspoon of water in a bowl.
13. After 5 minutes, take the mooncakes out and brush the tops and sides very lightly with the egg wash.
14. Put them back into the oven and let them bake for another 12-14 minutes, or until evenly golden brown on the tops and sides.
15. If you notice them browning too quickly, place a piece of foil on top of the mooncakes.
16. Remove from the oven and let cool.
17. Once cooled, place them into an airtight container and into the fridge.
18. These are best enjoyed 2-3 days later, as the oils redistribute from the filling into the crust, resulting in a deeper golden color and soft and delicious outer layer!