The Ultimate Guide to Making Delicious and Easy Traditional Mooncakes at Home

The aroma of freshly baked mooncakes is irresistible, and after two days of proofing, the cakes become softer and more flavorful, like a well-aged bottle of wine. The crust is a beautiful golden brown and has a glossy sheen that is simply irresistible. Biting into the cake, you’ll find a generous and sweet assortment of fillings that pairs perfectly with the rich and buttery crust, leaving you with a warm and cozy feeling.

These mooncakes are made with love and care, making this Mid-Autumn Festival even more special and meaningful.

1Traditional Mooncake with Assorted Fillings Recipe

Preparation
30 minutes Cooking
60 minutes Servings
7-8 people

Ingredients for Traditional Mooncake with Assorted Fillings

• 300g wheat flour
• 10g sticky rice flour
• 100g lotus seeds (cooked and diced)
• 100g melon seeds
• 100g watermelon seeds
• 100g pumpkin seeds
• 100g candied orange peel
• 100g candied winter melon
• 100g candied lemon peel
• 100g candied ginger
• 100g sesame seeds
• 1/2 lemon
• 50ml osmanthus wine
• 1 teaspoon grapefruit flower water
• 1 teaspoon lye water
• 2 eggs
• 20 ml peanut oil
• 110 ml vegetable oil
• 500 gr sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• Equipment: Oven, microwave, mixer, rolling pin, mooncake molds, etc.

Ingredients for Traditional Mooncake with Assorted Fillings

Reference:  Nutritious and Delicious Mooncake Recipes

Instructions for Traditional Mooncake with Assorted Fillings

Step 1 Make the Syrup

In a pot, combine 300ml water, 500g sugar, and juice from 1/2 lemon. Cook over medium heat without stirring until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture comes to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and continue cooking for about an hour, then turn off the heat and let the syrup cool.

Making the Syrup

Step 2 Prepare the Fillings

In a bowl, mix 100g of peanuts, melon seeds, and white sesame seeds. Dry the mixture in the microwave for about 4 minutes. Then, add 100g each of candied winter melon, candied lemon peel, candied orange peel, candied ginger, diced cooked lotus seeds, diced lap cheong, 20ml sesame oil, 50ml osmanthus wine, 1 teaspoon grapefruit flower water, 10g sticky rice flour, and 1 teaspoon of salt. Mix well and divide the mixture into 10 equal portions, rolling them into balls.

Preparing the Fillings

Step 3 Make the Dough

In a bowl, combine 300g wheat flour, 200ml syrup, 80ml vegetable oil, and 1 teaspoon lye water. Mix well and knead the dough until it is soft and smooth, no longer sticky.

Making the Dough

Reference:  Soft and Delicious Baked Mooncakes

Step 4 Shape the Mooncakes

Divide the dough and fillings into 10 equal portions. Roll out the dough into a thin sheet, place the filling in the center, and pinch the edges together to seal. Shape the dough into a ball, ensuring the filling is completely enclosed.

Finally, place the ball into a mooncake mold, pressing gently to shape the cake. Remove the cake from the mold.

Shaping the Mooncakes

Step 5 Bake the Mooncakes

Preheat the oven to 200°C for 10 minutes. Place the mooncakes in the oven and bake for about 10 minutes at 200°C. After 10 minutes, remove the cakes from the oven and lightly spray the surface with water to cool them down.

In a small bowl, whisk together 2 eggs and 2 tablespoons of peanut oil. Brush this mixture on top of the mooncakes and return them to the oven for another 10 minutes of baking.

Baking the Mooncakes

Step 6 Enjoy Your Mooncakes

Once the mooncakes are done, carefully remove them from the oven and let them cool down. The mooncakes can then be cut and served. The crust will have a beautiful golden color, and the texture will be soft and buttery, with a nutty and sweet flavor.

Enjoy Your Mooncakes

2Mooncake with Assorted Fillings and Salted Egg Yolk Recipe

Preparation
60 minutes Cooking
120 minutes Servings
3 – 4 people

Ingredients for Mooncake with Assorted Fillings and Salted Egg Yolk

For the Dough

• 160g wheat flour
• 130g all-purpose flour
• 130g cake flour (wheat flour type 8)
• 30g cooking oil
• 10g peanut butter
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 egg
• 120ml syrup

For the Assorted Fillings

• 50g candied winter melon
• 50g roasted peanuts
• 50g pumpkin seeds
• 50g steamed lotus seeds
• 50g candied lotus seeds
• 40g roasted watermelon seeds
• 40g maltose
• 40g roasted sesame seeds
• 40g sticky rice flour
• 30g candied ginger
• 20g candied kumquat
• 5 salted egg yolks
• 5 lemon leaves
• 2 lemon peels
• Osmanthus wine
• Sesame oil

Reference: 

Instructions for Mooncake with Assorted Fillings and Salted Egg Yolk

Step 1 Mix the Dough

Sift wheat flour and cake flour together to ensure a fine and even mixture. Create a well in the center of the flour mixture and add baking soda, cooking oil, syrup, and peanut butter. Mix until well combined.

Clean your hands and knead the dough until it forms a smooth and elastic ball. Avoid over-kneading, as it may make the dough tough and less tasty. Cover the dough with plastic wrap to prevent it from drying out and let it rest for 45 minutes.

Kneading the Dough

Step 2 Prepare the Salted Egg Yolks

Rinse the salted egg yolks with water to remove any remaining egg white. Soak the yolks in osmanthus wine for 50 seconds to enhance their flavor and remove any fishy smell.

Preheat the oven to 160-170°C for 10 minutes. Place the egg yolks on a baking tray, brush them with sesame oil, and bake for 5 minutes.

Note: Keep a close eye on the baking time to avoid overcooking the egg yolks, which may cause them to crumble when cut, affecting the aesthetics and taste of the mooncakes.

Alternatively, you can steam the egg yolks instead of baking them.

Reference: 

Baking the Salted Egg Yolks

Step 3 Prepare the Assorted Fillings

Chop any large filling ingredients into smaller pieces, about the size of a pea. Finely chop the lemon leaves and peels.

In a large bowl, combine all the seeds, candied fruits, lemon leaves and peels, 2 tablespoons of osmanthus wine, a small amount of sticky rice flour, and water. Mix well, gradually adding water and sticky rice flour until the fillings hold together and can be shaped into balls.

Step 4 Shape the Mooncakes

Divide the fillings and dough into portions according to the desired ratio. For a well-proportioned mooncake, the weight of the fillings (including the egg yolk) should be twice the weight of the dough. For example, for a 200g mooncake, use 135g of fillings and 65g of dough. Place the egg yolk in the center of the fillings for a beautiful cross-section.

Coat your work surface with a thin layer of flour and roll out the dough into a thin sheet. Wrap the fillings with the dough, ensuring no air pockets are left inside and there are no cracks on the surface. Lightly coat the mooncake mold with oil, place the filled dough inside, and gently press for 10 seconds to shape the cake. Carefully remove the cake from the mold.

Reference: 

Shaping the Mooncakes

Step 5 Bake the Mooncakes

Preheat the oven to 190°C for 10 minutes to

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