Have a good time the Mid-Autumn Pageant with these Mooncakes with Chestnut and Chocolate, a scrumptious autumnal mixture which everybody will love! Full and complete recipe to make mooncakes from scratch with step-by-step images.
Chestnut and Chocolate Mooncakes
I’ve lastly achieved it! I’ve lastly been capable of feed my children sufficient mooncakes that, this 12 months, once they heard that the Mid-Autumn Pageant was approaching in September, they bought all excited and stated they couldn’t wait to eat mooncakes once more ☺️
In fact, they’re referring to my Chocolate Fudge Mooncakes (the Pink Bean Mooncakes rank second and the Lotus Seed Mooncakes are politely left for me).
However, final 12 months, within the spirit of attempting one thing new, I made some mooncakes with a chestnut paste filling. They had been impressed by my childrens’ favorite Chestnut Anpan from our native Japanese bakery, however I believed I might add some chocolate chips to sweeten the deal. My children (and my husband!) gave them an enormous thumbs up!
Serve them whereas they’re nonetheless heat, and the chocolate will nonetheless be gooey on the within!
Chestnuts and Chocolate
Chestnuts are actually well-liked in European desserts, particularly once they come into season in autumn, and we all the time have a tube of chestnut cream to unfold on toast when somebody is feeling indulgent.
One in every of my favorite desserts in winter is a Mont Blanc, additionally known as Vermicelles within the German-speaking a part of Switzerland, which is actually chestnut purée served with crushed meringues, whipped cream and perhaps some grated darkish chocolate.
I usually make my Mont Blanc Pavlova within the winter months since you actually can’t beat the mix of meringues, cream and chestnuts.
Because the Mid-Autumn Pageant takes place when the roasted chestnut distributors begin to arrange their stalls right here in Zurich, it appears becoming to make mooncakes utilizing chestnuts 🌰
Mooncake Moulds
Urgent the mooncakes into totally different fancy shapes is undoubtedly the enjoyable a part of this recipe!
The mooncake moulds I exploit for this recipe are low cost and cheerful units that are available on Amazon.
I like to recommend shopping for a set with a number of moulds so that you’ve quite a lot of patterns to make use of, and in addition a mixture of sq. and spherical moulds.
In case you are attempting to introduce younger youngsters to mooncakes (or any Asian cake, for that matter), it helps to have enjoyable, cartoon shapes available to entice them. Though, I’m somewhat neutral to the Hi there Kitty moulds for myself!
The mooncake moulds are available in a number of sizes – 50 g for small mooncakes (typically portion for 1 individual), or 100 g for giant mooncakes meant for sharing.
You can too purchase mooncake moulds in different sizes, however you will want maths background to calculate the ratio of dough to filling 🙂
How one can Make Mooncakes
How one can Make Chestnut Paste
It’s doable to purchase ready-made chestnut paste right here in Europe, however making your individual signifies that it’s more energizing and with no preservatives added, plus you may management the sweetness of the paste.
I wouldn’t go as far as to prepare dinner and peel the chestnuts myself; the supermarkets right here in Europe readily promote pre-cooked chestnuts in vacuum-sealed luggage that are very straightforward to make use of in all candy and savoury recipes. Frozen chestnuts additionally work nicely (thaw them first), in addition to canned chestnuts. Simply make it possible for the chestnuts haven’t been sweetened or flavoured in any approach – you need them plain for this recipe.
You can too discover ready-made chestnut purée, each unsweetened and sweetened. I might advise in opposition to utilizing the unsweetened chestnut purée as a result of I believe it’s too clean – you need some texture within the filling for these mooncakes. However, at a pinch, if that’s all that you’ll find, I believe it might work high-quality on this recipe. However the sweetened chestnut purée is unquestionably too candy for these mooncakes.
I make my chestnut paste utilizing an analogous methodology to how I make Pink Bean Paste or Lotus Seed Paste. You must prepare dinner the paste to dry it out, in order that it turns into agency sufficient to make use of as a filling within the mooncakes.
How one can Make Lye Water
Lye water is an alkaline water utilized in some recipes to assist with texture or color. For instance, lye water provides pretzels their signature darkish brown color. For mooncakes, a small quantity of lye water is used to present the dough a deep, golden color.
Lye water is available in Asian grocery shops in some nations, however not in others. Attributable to its efficiency and irritant issue, lye water is even banned in some nations.
In case you are unable to purchase lye water, please see my recipe on how you can make Lye Water with step-by-step images.
How one can Make Mooncake Dough
Please see full recipe directions within the recipe card beneath.
This dough is pretty attention-grabbing in that it makes use of golden syrup for each moisture and sweetness. I don’t assume you may substitute the golden syrup for one more kind of syrup, neither is it worthwhile if you wish to create a mooncake which is each genuine in style and texture.
I exploit Lyle’s Golden Syrup, which is usually utilized in British and Australian baking recipes.
When making the mooncake dough, you need a combination which is pretty delicate and pliable. If the combination seems to be too dry and crumbly, add a splash of water to try to carry the dough collectively. In any other case, a dry dough will probably be tough to roll out later to stretch and canopy the filling.
Whenever you roll out the dough, it ought to really feel each sticky and oily.
How one can Form the Mooncakes
Please see full recipe directions within the recipe card beneath.
Mooncake moulds typically are available in two foremost sizes:
- 50 g moulds – the filling ought to weigh 30 g, and the dough ought to weigh 20 g
- 100 g moulds – the filling ought to weigh 60 g, and the dough ought to weigh 40 g
You’ll be able to mess around with the ratio of filling to dough, however the complete weight ought to be near the dimensions of the mould, in any other case the cake is not going to match into the mould.
Relying on the consistency of your dough, you might must mud your mould with some flour to stop the dough from sticking.
It could take you a number of makes an attempt to know the way a lot stress to use and when to launch the mould, however you need to get the cling of it fairly rapidly.
How one can Bake the Mooncakes
Please see full directions within the recipe card beneath.
Mooncakes should be baked twice. The primary bake is usually to set the sample earlier than making use of any egg wash. In any other case, making use of the egg wash first may stop the patterns from staying in place.
After the primary bake, it’s essential to let the muffins cool barely earlier than making use of the egg wash. In case you apply the egg wash too quickly, the egg may coagulate on the muffins and depart spots on the floor.
The egg wash ought to be brushed solely very calmly on the muffins – you need simply sufficient to moisten the dough and to assist the muffins brown evenly. I like to recommend utilizing a pastry brush with high-quality (pure) bristles which is best at making use of the egg wash over the intricate patterns; a silicone brush typically picks up an excessive amount of egg wash.
The second bake is to completely prepare dinner the mooncakes till they’re golden brown throughout.
Suggestions for Making Mooncakes
Making mooncakes is an artwork kind, and this can be a recipe which requires plenty of endurance and a little bit of follow. It took me a number of makes an attempt earlier than I bought the cling of it and understood how the feel and consistency of each the dough and filling ought to be.
My ideas for making mooncakes are:
- Begin no less than the day earlier than. Not one of the elements of mooncakes are notably tough, however all of them take a little bit of time. Beginning every part the day earlier than will make you’re feeling much less confused and rushed relating to making the precise muffins.
- Use a digital kitchen scale. Baking is culinary science, and science requires precision. With regards to making mooncakes and making certain that every ball of filling and dough is strictly the best dimension in order that it will probably match into the moulds, a digital kitchen scale will make life a lot simpler. It should additionally assist to make sure that your dough is made with the best ratio of liquid to flour.
- Experiment with totally different mooncake moulds. You could find many low cost and cheerful mooncake moulds on Amazon. Some moulds look very stunning however they don’t hold their outlined traces as soon as baked. I’ve a number of enjoyable moulds for the children, together with some Hi there Kitty shapes, which I discover to be too detailed to maintain their kind throughout baking. This could possibly be as a result of quite a lot of causes, however don’t be too upset if the muffins find yourself trying like little clean buns – they may nonetheless style nice!
- Make quite a lot of fillings. You probably have time, make quite a lot of fillings and use the identical mould for every kind of filling, in order that what’s inside. Not everybody likes salted egg yolks (particularly children), so I typically solely make half a batch with salted egg yolks inside. Lotus seed paste is my favorite filling, however I additionally love purple bean paste and chestnut paste. There are additionally many “fashionable” fillings which you could attempt, equivalent to inexperienced tea paste and chocolate fudge.
- Use enjoyable moulds for teenagers. Indulge the children and use enjoyable cartoon or animal-shaped mooncake moulds to entice them to attempt the mooncakes. Massive children (aka adults!) love the lovable cartoon moulds too!
- Make a big batch. Given the time dedication required for making mooncakes, you might as nicely make 1-2 batches – they make nice items for family and friends!
- Apply makes excellent. Like with most issues in life, upon getting made mooncakes a few times, the method turns into much less daunting. I discover making mooncakes to be a bit like making specifically stamped cookies.
Mooncakes with Chestnut and Chocolate
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Prepare dinner Time: 30 minutes
- Whole Time: 1 hour half-hour
- Yield: 18-20 small mooncakes
- Class: Muffins
- Methodology: Oven
- Delicacies: Chinese language, Vietnamese
Have a good time the Mid-Autumn Pageant with these Mooncakes with Chestnut and Chocolate, a scrumptious autumnal mixture which everybody will love! Recipe with step-by-step images.
Components
For the Chestnut Paste
- 500 g cooked chestnuts (I purchase them in vacuum-sealed packs)
- 100 g caster sugar (or extra to style)
- 1/2 teaspoon high-quality salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4–5 tablespoons boiling water
- 100 ml sunflower oil (1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon) sunflower oil (or one other flavourless oil)
- 100 g darkish chocolate chips
For the Mooncake Dough
For the Egg Wash
Directions
For the Chestnut Paste
- Place the chestnuts, sugar, salt and vanilla into the bowl of a big meals processor.
- Blitz the combination till it’s a clean paste, including sufficient boiling water as you achieve this till every part comes collectively in a clean paste. The combination ought to be like a really thick hummus.
- Scrape the combination right into a giant non-stick pan.
- Begin cooking the paste over medium-high warmth.
- Use a spatula or picket spoon to stir the paste in order that the moisture can evaporate from the combination.
- As you stir, add a couple of tablespoon of the oil at a time.
- Hold stirring till the oil is well-incorporated into the paste.
- As soon as the combination has emulsified, add some extra oil.
- Proceed till the entire oil has been added.
- As soon as the entire oil has been added, proceed stirring the combination in order that it will probably thicken.
- Ultimately, the objective is to have the ability to fold the paste from the outer-edges into the centre till the paste is a little bit agency and may maintain its form. By this stage, the paste will resemble a really delicate cookie dough.
- Watch out to not over-cook the paste as it will probably burn.
- Switch the paste to a big bowl and let it cool utterly. The paste will agency up extra because it cools.
- Combine the chocolate chips by the cooled chestnut paste.
- In case you are making this paste forward of time, you may hold it in an air-tight container within the fridge for a number of days.
For the Mooncake Dough (this step requires approx. 45 minutes)
- Make the Mooncake Dough on the day you intend to make the mooncakes.
- In a big mixing bowl, whisk collectively the golden syrup, oil and lye water.
- Add the flour.
- Combine every part collectively till a dough types.
- Frivolously knead the dough till you’ve gotten a delicate and clean ball of dough. If the dough is simply too crumbly and doesn’t come collectively nicely, add some water.
- Wrap the dough in some plastic wrap.
- Depart the dough to relaxation at room temperature for no less than half-hour.
To Put together the Mooncake Filling
- For a 50 g mooncake mould, the filling ought to weigh 30 g (along with the Mooncake Dough of 20 g, the cake will weigh 50 g).
- For a 100 g mooncake mould, the filling ought to weigh 60 g (along with the Mooncake Dough of 40 g, the cake will weigh 100 g).
- Portion the Chestnut Paste as needed utilizing a digital kitchen scale. This recipes makes about 20 x 50 g mooncakes, so measure out 20 parts of the Chestnut Paste.
- Roll every bit of Chestnut Paste right into a ball.
- Place the balls of Chestnut Paste within the fridge whilst you get on with the remainder of the recipe.
To Put together the Mooncake Dough
- For a 50 g mooncake mould, the Mooncake Dough ought to weigh 20 g.
- For a 100 g mooncake mould, the Mooncake Dough ought to weigh 40 g.
- At this stage, the dough ought to really feel barely oily and sticky.
- Portion the dough as needed utilizing a digital kitchen scale. It’s best to have sufficient dough for about 20 mooncakes.
- Roll every bit of dough right into a clean ball.
To Assemble the Mooncakes
- Line a big baking tray with baking paper.
- Flatten a chunk of Mooncake Dough into a skinny spherical form which is simply giant sufficient to encase the filling.
- Convey the perimeters of the dough up across the filling, cupping the combination between your thumb and forefinger as you achieve this.
- Gently pinch the dough till it stretches to utterly cowl the filling.
- Pinch any cracks collectively, and even add a bit of additional dough to patch up any cracks if needed.
- Roll the combination right into a clean ball.
- Place the balls of stuffed dough onto the lined baking tray.
To Form the Mooncakes
- Put together the mooncake moulds by affixing your required stamp to the plunger.
- It could be clever to calmly mud the moulds with some flour to cease the muffins from sticking to the stamps. However I typically discover that the dough doesn’t stick, particularly if you’re utilizing the plastic mooncake moulds like I’ve.
- Place one ball into the mould. For sq. moulds, I like to recommend gently pushing the ball of dough right into a squarish-shape together with your fingers earlier than inserting it into the mould.
- Place the plunger straight onto the baking tray, and press the plunger down with some mild stress. In case you press down too onerous, you may flatten the muffins an excessive amount of.
- Gently launch the mould from the cake.
- Repeat with the remaining balls of stuffed dough.
- The muffins don’t unfold as they bake, however I might nonetheless suggest spacing them aside in order that they bake evenly.
To Bake the Mooncakes
- Preheat the oven to 180°C/356°F (with out fan).
- Bake the mooncakes for 10 minutes.
- Take away the baking tray from the oven and let the muffins cool for 10 minutes.
- Scale back the oven temperature to 160°F/320°F (with out fan).
- In the meantime, make the Egg Wash by whisking the egg with some water in a small bowl.
- Frivolously brush the mooncakes with the Egg Wash, utilizing a pastry brush with high-quality bristles (a silicon brush picks up an excessive amount of egg wash for this activity). Attempt to keep away from placing an excessive amount of Egg Wash onto the intricate patterns on the floor. You probably have an excessive amount of Egg Wash on the muffins, use some kitchen paper to blot the muffins.
- Return the baking tray to the oven.
- Proceed baking the mooncakes for 10-Quarter-hour, or till they’re golden brown throughout.
- Let the mooncakes cool utterly on the baking tray, which is able to enable them to develop a crisp backside.
To Retailer the Mooncakes
- Retailer the mooncakes in an air-tight container at room temperature for as much as 1 week.
- The mooncakes are sometimes served after 1-2 days when the dough has softened barely and the patterns turn into extra settled and outlined. Nonetheless, I like to recommend attempting no less than one whereas it’s nonetheless contemporary and the dough is considerably crispy.
- The mooncakes will also be saved in an air-tight container within the fridge. Convey the muffins to room temperature earlier than serving.
Kitchen Notes
SMOOTH OR CHUNKY CHESTNUT PASTE
My household love chunks of chestnuts within the chestnut paste, so I normally reserve a big handful of chestnuts, and break them roughly into the cooled chestnut paste, earlier than mixing them in with the chocolate chips.
WHAT TYPE OF CHOCOLATE TO USE
I’ve used small darkish chocolate chips within the recipe, however be at liberty to make use of finely chopped darkish chocolate.
OVEN TEMPERATURES
All recipes on this web site state temperatures for a daily oven (i.e. a standard oven with out fan). You probably have a convection oven with a fan, please seek the advice of the producer’s handbook on how you can modify the temperature and baking time accordingly.
CONVERSIONS
To transform from cups to grams, and vice-versa, please see this helpful Conversion Chart for Primary Components.
