Snow Skin Mooncakes 冰皮月饼

I make these delicate, sweet little cakes each year around this time for the Moon Festival which falls on the 15th of the 8th month of the lunar calendar.  This is when Chinese people gather to admire the autumn (northern hemisphere) full moon in lantern-lit gardens and enjoy special food. In Australia the auspicious day falls in spring but our moon would be just as bright in a clear night sky.  Snow skin mooncakes feature a soft, chewy, mochi-like outer layer made with a glutinous rice flour mixture and a variety of sweet fillings.  Lighter than the traditional baked mooncakes, they have a silky, buttery texture that makes you go back for more.  You'll be dealing with a sticky dough but a freezer bag and a pair of food handling gloves overcome any potential problems.  A little effort and time is required to create them but you will love how they pop out of the mould, perfectly formed and dreamily delicious.

Makes 12

EQUIPMENT

• plastic mooncake mould (50g / 1¾oz)*
• kitchen scale
• 23cm /9" heatproof dish with rim
• a steaming station
• 1 medium plastic freezer bag
• food handling gloves

*It comes with a springy handle and several plates with different patterns, available online.

INGREDIENTS

• 50g / 1¾oz glutinous rice flour
• 40g / 1½oz  rice flour
• 20g / ¾oz wheat starch
• 30g / 1oz caster sugar
• 185g / 6½oz milk
• 20g / ¾oz vegetable oil
• 200g / 7oz red bean paste (for filling)*
• 2 tablespoons cooked glutinous rice flour (for coating the mooncakes)*

*I use readymade red bean paste which is available from Asian grocers, in their cold section.  You can certainly make your own, but that's another recipe for another time!

*Cook the glutinous rice flour in a small saucepan over medium-low heat for a few minutes, stirring, until the flour turns pale yellow.  Set aside in a small dish to cool completely.

METHOD

1. Sieve glutinous rice flour, rice flour and wheat starch into a large mixing bowl.  Add sugar and stir to combine.
2. Pour milk into the flour mixture.  Stir until it becomes a smooth batter.  Stir in oil.
3. Pass the mixture through a sieve (to remove any lumps) into the heatproof dish.
4. Cover the dish securely with foil and steam for 20 minutes over medium-high heat.
5. Carefully remove the dish from the steamer.  Use a plastic spatula to scrape out the cooked flour mixture and transfer it into a plastic bag.
6. Knead the flour mixture in the bag while it is hot for 5-10 minutes until a smooth dough is formed.  Protect you hand with a tea towel while you are kneading.  Leave the dough in the bag to cool completely.
7. Meanwhile, divide the red bean paste filling into 12 equal portions, about 15g / ½oz each.  Roll each portion with your hands into a ball.  Set aside on a plate.
8. Put your gloves on.  Remove dough from the plastic bag and cut into 12 equal portions, about 25g / 1oz each.  
9. With your hands, flatten each piece of dough into a disc about 5cm / 2" in diameter.  Place a ball of the red bean filling on top.  Gather the edge towards the centre and pinch firmly to seal.  Roll the dough in between palms to smooth it into a round ball. 
10. Coat each dough with cooked glutinous rice flour.  Dust off any excess and place it on a clean, flat surface, pinched side down.  Place the mould over the dough and press the springy handle down gently but firmly to shape the mooncake.  Lift the mould up.  Press the handle again to push the mooncake onto the surface.   Gently brush off any excess flour clinging on to the mooncake.  Arrange them on a plate.

Notes:

• Snow skin mooncakes are best served on the day they have been made, as they tend to dry out and harden in time (but then they are so delicious and likely to be demolished quickly!)
• If you need to store them for a little while, place them in an air-tight container and add a layer of baking paper between each layer if you are stacking them up.  Consume within 2 days.
• They can be frozen, wrapped tightly in plastic, for up to 1 month.  Leave them to thaw in the fridge.