OTHER BAKES - Mooncakes

MOONCAKE BISCUIT 公仔饼

July 18, 2017 | Recipe by Bake with Paws
Mooncake Biscuit

MOONCAKE BISCUIT 公仔饼

MOONCAKE BISCUIT 公仔饼


I noticed many home cooks have been attempting homemade mooncakes. I got inspired to try something traditional for the mid-autumn festival. My mother in-law happened to have a beautiful mould carved out of wood I really wanted to use. As it is my first attempt, I started with easy Mooncake Biscuits without filling.

COMMONLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

What type of flour to use?
It is advisable to use low protein flour like pau flour or cake flour.  All purpose flour is acceptable too if you can't get pau flour or cake flour.  The lower the protein content of the flour will yield more softer mooncake biscuit.

What type of oil?
Neutral-flavored oils are suitable for making the skin dough.  Example like corn, peanut, canola, or sunflower oil.  Most recipes will specify peanut oil as it adds a nutty fragrance.

How to determine the weight of the mould?
Put some dough into the mould and press until fill up to the brim.  Remove the dough from the mould and weight it on a kitchen scale.  

How to store and when is the mooncake ready to eat?
Freshly baked mooncake biscuits are rather dry and are best enjoyed 2 or 3 days later. Store the mooncake in an airtight container in a cool place. Let them rest for at least 2 to 3  days before serving in order for the pastry to relax for a better flavour and texture.  After the third  day, it is recommended to store the mooncake biscuits in the refrigerator.  It is best to eat the mooncake within 2 weeks.  

If you have any questions regarding this recipe or any other post, please leave me a comment in the “LEAVE A COMMENT” link and I will reply you as soon as possible.  Do tag me on Instagram @Bakewithpaws if you attempt on this recipe.

Recipe - Mooncake Biscuit 公仔饼 


Yields: 13 Fishes

INGREDIENTS:

450g low protein flour (sifted)
9g Alkaline water
105g Peanut oil

Egg wash:
1 egg yolk + 1 tbsp fresh milk, mix well and strain

Tools:
Baking trays
Baking sheets or parchment papers
Mooncake fish wooden mould
Brush

METHOD:
  1. Preparing The Dough:
    1. Whisk sugar syrup, alkaline water and peanut oil together thoroughly.
    2. Sift flour in a large bowl, make a well in the center and pour in the sugar syrup mixture. Using a rubber spatula to mix and form to a soft dough.  Be careful not to over mix the dough  as we do not want gluten to form.
    3. Cover the mixing bowl with cling wrap then set it aside for at least 2.5 to 3 hours.
  2. To Shape:
    1. Line the baking trays with parchment papers and set aside.
    2. Remove dough from the fridge.  
    3. To work-out the weight of the dough for your mould, press some dough into the mould and flatten it, then weigh.  The weigh for this mould is about 65g.
    4. Measure dough to about 65g and roll it into a ball and dust some flour on it.
    5. Dust the mould with some flour and press firmly into fish mould.  Knock the mould on surface gently to release. Place it on the lined baking tray.  
    6. Press red bean as fish eye. To get even baking, do not place the unbaked fishes too closely.
  3. To Bake:
    1. Pre-heat oven at 160C (top and bottom heat) for 15 minutes.
    2. Bake in a preheated oven for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool, on the baking sheet, for 10 minutes.
    3. Once the cookies have cooled for 10 minutes, brush lightly with the egg wash, taking care not to smooth out the edges of the design with the brush.
    4. Bake for an additional 10 - 15 minutes or until golden brown.
    5. Cool down biscuits and store them in a container and and let them rest for at least 2 to 3 days before serving in order for the pastry to soften.
Notes:
  1. I made my own golden syrup. It is a kind of caramel made from cooking sugar, water and lemon together. Please refer to the recipe here. You may also buy ready-made golden syrup from the grocery stores
  2. Alkaline water is a solution of potassium carbonate & sodium bicarbonate that you can find in grocery stores.
  3. Do note that the baking temperature and timing provided are what works for my oven and should also be regarded as a guide only. Every oven behaves a little differently, so please adjust accordingly for your oven. 



Comments

  1. Nice recipe... is there a reason why its crunchy even after 2 days ?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you for your comment and questions. Not supposed to be crunchy. Could it be you over baked?

      Delete
  2. My cookie cracked after I took out from the oven. Why is that so?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi there,

      Thank you for trying this recipe and your question.

      Actually, my biscuits cracked slightly too when it was out from oven. Eventually the cracks disappeared after few days, once the oil absorb and mature. To prevent cracking, you can spray some water first before placing in the oven.

      Cheers :)

      Delete
  3. Hi which flour is better to use?hong kong flour or all purpose flour?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi, thanks for asking. Hong Kong flour as lower protein content. But, I usually use unbleached AP flour because I tried to avoid bleached and refined flour.
      Cheers

      Delete
  4. What can I use if I don't have alkaline water? Thanks

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi, you can substitute lye with baked baking soda and water. I have not tried this method yet. You may want to google search substitution for lye.

      Cheers :)

      Delete

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