Snowskin Mooncake - Chinese Recipes

A lighter variation of the traditional mooncake, snowskin mooncake is unbaked and therefore must be refrigerated. Its skin is more delicate, soft and pliable similar to the Japanese mochi. Often attractively coloured and flavoured, it has infinite variation of flavours which gives it a fun element. Some if its flavours include matcha, pandan, durian, rose, and more!

INGREDIENTS

Mooncake Dough

100g kaofen sifted (cooked glutinous flour, allow more for dusting)
80g icing sugar (sifted)
30g shortening
150ml iced water
A few drops of essence (of your choice)
Food colouring (optional)

Mooncake Filling

500g ready-made mooncake filling paste (lotus paste, red bean paste, etc. available in Asian grocers)
Melon seeds (or pumpkin seed, about 1 tsp per mooncake but optional)

Tools

Mini mooncake mould (roughly 50g per mooncake when made)

INSTRUCTIONS

Snowskin Dough:

1. In a large bowl, add flour and icing sugar. While mixing the flour, rub shortening into the flour mixture with your fingertips.
2. Add iced water into the bowl and combine with a spatula until soft dough is formed.
3. Divide the dough depending on the number of different colours you intend to make. Add a few drops of essence and food colouring (a few drops at a time) to each portion and knead until the colour is evenly mixed. Add more kaofen to each portion of dough, a little at a time, and knead until it is no longer sticky but, do not over knead.
4. Divide dough into 15g pieces.

Filling Paste:

1. Divide the filling paste into 25g pieces. Add melon seeds (optional) to each serving of filling paste, and shape each piece into a ball.
2. Make the same number of filling balls as the mooncake skin dough prepared earlier.

Making the snowskin mooncakes:

1. Dust hand and rolling pin with flour. Flatten and roll each piece of dough and wrap the mooncake skin around the filling and shape it into a ball.
2. Lightly dust the mooncake ball with additional kaofen. Place dough ball in the mooncake mould and press firmly. Invert the mould and tap a few times to dislodge the mooncake from the mould. Repeat until all the dough is used up.
3. Store mooncakes in airtight containers to avoid them from drying up, and refrigerate for up to a week. Serve chilled with a fresh pot of Chinese tea.