S oak the yolks in the rose cooking wine for 15 minutes and carefully drain the excess liquid.Separate the yolks from the salted eggs, taking care to keep them whole. Divide the crust dough into 12 balls, 15 g each.

If you haven’t done so already, divide the lotus seed paste into 12 balls, 35 g each.Let it to rest in the fridge for a minimum of 1 hour (or preferably overnight). Flatten into a circular disk shape and wrap with plastic wrap. Knead the crust dough with your hands just until the flour is incorporated and it’s a smooth texture and mocha colour throughout. Sift in the flour and mix until it looks like a scraggly pile of loose crumbs. In a large mixing bowl, mix together the golden syrup, oil, and alkaline water.50 gram Mooncake Mold (you can buy one of your own here: Square Mooncake Mold).1 tbsp rose cooking wine (玫瑰露酒 or mei kuei lu chiew).420 g pre-made lotus seed paste (divided into 12 balls, 35 g each).4 g (or 0.6 tsp) alkaline water (梘水 or kan sui).70 g golden syrup (I used Lyle’s Golden Syrup).TOTAL TIME (active + inactive time): 2 hoursĬREDITS: Inspired by Christine’s Recipes Traditional Mooncakes (廣式月餅) There are many reasons: they are imported from Asia, good quality lotus seeds/salty egg yolks are pricey, they are a lot of work to make at home and packaging gets more extravagant each year. I never understood why they are so expensive until I tried to make them. Increase that number to 4 yolks per mooncake and you’re looking at $50 CDN + tax per box. In Toronto, a box of 4 regular sized lotus seed paste mooncakes with two yolks each (185 gram/mooncake) from a popular brand, e.g. Mooncakes are expensive and vary in price depending on the brand and the number of yolks used. Over the years, the number of flavours, packaging ideas and brands diversified but I still think original lotus seed paste with salted egg tastes the best. Currently there are mooncakes of many creative filling flavours (such as coffee, durian, taro, green tea) made with different ingredients and even no-bake mooncakes meant to be served cold (Bing Pai/literally translated as Ice Skin).

Buy lotus seed paste.