Su” Style Moon Cakes

I had a lot of fun making these traditional Su-style mooncakes that are served in China for the Mid-Autumn Festival. They are different from the other mooncakes, because unlike the others, they are not molded (we will see later those made in these small molds, with a different dough and other fillings!). It is a puff pastry (Chinese) in which we put different fillings. Here I present you the ones with lotus seed paste, with egg cream and finally with…pork! Because moon cakes are also eaten salted during the mid-autumn festival! It can be a dessert or a savory dish. I also present you three different results…!

Start mixing. It is very simple and fast because the dough is rich in fat (33%). 

Roll the dough into a ball and place under cling film in a cool place. 

Dampening: put the 120g of flour. Make a hole and put the remaining 45g of lard. Pour hot water in the center. 

Start mixing in the middle, the lard will melt. Mix well. 

Work the dough without excess. 

Set aside and let stand in a cool place for 30 minutes. 

After this time, lightly flour the work surface. 

Place the tempera on the floured surface. 

Start by rolling out with a small rolling pin (I use the one for dim-sum!), spreading the dough to the sides and leaving a slight bump in the center. 

Place the first ball of dough (33% fat!!) in the center of the tempera. 

Close the four corners of the distemper on the ball. 

Start rolling out the dough on a floured surface. This time it should be rolled out like a more traditional puff pastry. However, it’s easier to do because there’s no butter to get out! Spread on a length 3 times longer than the width. 

Fold in three and turn 90°. A first round is done!

Spread again and do the same 4 more times for a total of 5 rounds. 

Roll out the dough one last time, this time in a fairly thin layer on all sides. 

Roll into a tight ball.  Make a reservation. 

Prepare the meat filling for the salted moon cakes. Put salt, sugar, meat, ginger, cornstarch, soy sauce…

Mix and add the rest. 

In China, it is better to “break” the dough into pieces than to cut it. This is a traditional   way of doing things. I don’t think it affects the final result much, but it’s worth mentioning, because after all I always want to be as close as possible to what is being done. 

Cut this dough by holding the dough roll with one hand, and tearing the dough with the other hand in a short movement to the side. Make 8 small piles of dough. 

Flatten once with the palm of the hand, then with the roller. It looks like a shortcrust pastry, but the pastry will be flaky! 

Garnish with the stuffing of your choice. 

Here the meat…

The lotus seed paste… For the lotus seed paste and the egg cream, you have to roll them into a ball… 

Close the whole in the same way as for the “xiao long bao” or the juicy pork buns… 

Place the closed ball upside down on small pre-cut squares of parchment paper. 

You can draw with a brush and egg yolk… I can’t write in Chinese!!! 

We can also let ourselves go to more fantasy (only for those with lotus seeds or egg cream!!!).

For example by rolling out the dough very lightly…

Then pressing a cap in the center just to mark a marker… Then by cutting “slices” in the dough from this mark. First in 4, then in 4 again. This gives us 16 slices. 

You just have to place these “petals” on the side and you get a more original (and still traditional!!) moon cake.

One last example. After closing the dough, roll between your hands to form a ball. With a serrated pair of pliers (from Mora), cut the surface of the ball for a very original effect…

Heat the oven to 200°C and place the baking sheet with the moon cakes on their pieces of paper. 

Bake for 20-25 minutes, keeping an eye on the cooking time (always adapt to your own oven!!).

The pastry is flaky and filled with the choice we made… 

All three choices are delicious and taste different when folded or balled…