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Mooncake: Cook-off IV

Tepee

By Tepee
in China: Cooking & Baking

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jackal10

jackal10

Posted
Posted

Its actually not that hard, especially with a food processer and ready made paste. I just poached the egg yolks and dried them in a sieve.

The wrapping is a bit like making a cake - cream butter and sugar, add flour, chill to set up. The rest is straightforward, albeit sticky, but floured hands help.

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trillium

trillium

Posted
Posted
Trillium, thanks for the recipe for making salted eggs. Salted duck eggs cost slightly more than 3 times the cost of a regular unsalted chicken egg.

Trillium:

Are you sure it was just one week for the salted eggs?

I make mine whenever double yolk eggs are available. Even with single yolks, it takes 3 weeks in heavy brine before the yolks are firm.

You might be right. We usually eat ours steamed, so I wouldn't know exactly when they firm up. But I think it's less then 3 weeks. I like them when they aren't quite as salty as when they've been sitting for 3 weeks. I must note I do use duck eggs when I make ours, because I can buy them from the farmers and they are so tasty. And this is at room temperature. Duck yolks seem already drier, so maybe they get done sooner. Or maybe the tea leaves really do help them go oily and firm sooner... I usually end up throwing in a few hen's eggs to get everything submerged in the jar, so that's how I know they taste ok, but I don't know the exact time it takes. Maybe someone will have to experiment.

I havn't made mooncakes in years, but when I did, I followed a recipe where you rinse, oil and steam the yolks before you put them in the cake. The partner has agreed to help with a pandan/lotus endeavor this year though...

regards,

trillium

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Ben Hong

Ben Hong

Posted
Posted

Actually all the posts are encoded. :biggrin: You have to know the secret handshakes and secret passwords in order to get a decoder.

Pssst: The Grand Wizard ( or is it Witch?) is the Omnipresent Dejah, short for Dejah Vue, but she sees more, much more, than the past. Her glare stuns with the force of a thousand joongs. Be afraid. Be very afraid.

Chief Acolyte is the mysterious TeePee. No one has ever deciphered what the initials T.P. stands for. I believe that they stand for "Tay Poh" or pastry woman in Cantonese. Reputed to be a great pastry chef, of the Chinese kind, she is quite cruel in her treatment of mere mortals, for with one swift posting of a photo of a mooncake, she can reduce grown men into slobbering, drooling fools. (Antidote to her wiles is to eat yourself silly before logging on).

I am working hard to uncover the identities and modus operandi of Codenames "Trillium and hrzt".

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Dejah

Dejah

Posted
Posted

Me thinks Ben has wayyyyy too much time on his hands.

Get thee to the kitchen and make some mooncakes! :angry: (Grand witch has spoken) :laugh::laugh:

wesza, welcome back to the forum! Good trip and good eats... Who could ask for anything more?! (shades of Ethel Merman)

Dejah

www.hillmanweb.com

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wesza

wesza

Posted
Posted (edited)
Actually all the posts are encoded.  :biggrin:  You have to know the secret handshakes and secret passwords in order to get a decoder.

Pssst: The Grand Wizard ( or is it Witch?) is the Omnipresent Dejah, short for Dejah Vue, but she sees more, much more, than the past. Her glare stuns with the force of a thousand joongs. Be afraid. Be very afraid.

Chief Acolyte is the mysterious TeePee. No one has ever deciphered what the initials T.P. stands for. I believe that they stand for "Tay Poh" or pastry woman in Cantonese. Reputed to be a great pastry chef, of the Chinese kind, she is quite cruel in her treatment of mere mortals, for with one swift posting of a photo of a mooncake, she can reduce grown men into slobbering, drooling fools. (Antidote to her wiles is to eat yourself silly before logging on).

I am working hard to uncover the identities and modus operandi of Codenames "Trillium and hrzt".

Ben Hong:

Please use your skills as a Sorcerer to provide protection from the glare and spells from the "Grand Wizard" as in my ignorance I have dared to send her thru the magical sky several types of Mooncake prepared by mortals to bless the new Moon. Indeed one has been selected for her perusal that contains ingredients unusual coming from this new world. I even dared send herbal, honeyed teas direct from China to warm and stimulate her aura together with Durian Candy.

I have been eating my self silly for many years, even though you have honored me by naming me a honorary Toysan, but daring to send Dejah simple mortals treats I hope you can provide safety.

I dreamed that I will receive a "Chicken Head" pointed in my direction during the Moon Festival, more scary then for New Years. What can I do ?

Irwin :shock::wub:

Edited by wesza (log)

I don't say that I do. But don't let it get around that I don't.

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wesza

wesza

Posted
Posted
Me thinks Ben has wayyyyy too much time on his hands.

Get thee to the kitchen and make some mooncakes! :angry: (Grand witch has spoken)  :laugh:  :laugh:

wesza, welcome back to the forum! Good trip and good eats... Who could ask for anything more?! (shades of Ethel Merman)

Now I'm really getting spooked.

Ethel Merman, whom I knew well and was pleased to enjoy her last performances on Broadway in "Gypsy" and "Mamie" both magical posted while I was trying to take advantage of Ben's aid I implore you "Dejah" to save my appetite.

If I am given ammesty I promise not to mention about my vision with the "Pointer Sisters".

Irwin :huh::cool:

I don't say that I do. But don't let it get around that I don't.

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Dejah

Dejah

Posted
Posted

I dreamed that I will receive a "Chicken Head" pointed in my direction during the Moon Festival, more scary then for New Years. What can I do ?Irwin :shock::wub:

Be thankful that it's not a black chicken hanging on your front door! :angry::blink::laugh:

Honestly, I am so looking forward to the Moon Festival. :wub:

Dejah

www.hillmanweb.com

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hzrt8w

hzrt8w

Posted
Posted
Is this a cult for moon cake??

Yeah yeah. We worship the moon every moonth during the 15th 1/30 moonth in a lunar calendar. And every 12th moonths, in the 8th moonth of the 12 moonths, the 15th 1/30 moonth, we get together and eat moon cake to celebrate.

Teepee is the mooncake wizard.

Dejah is the apprentice wizard.

hz is just a waterbody. :laugh::laugh:

W.K. Leung ("Ah Leung") aka "hzrt8w"
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hzrt8w

hzrt8w

Posted
Posted
Honestly, I am so looking forward to the Moon Festival. :wub:

Why wait? Just go and cut one up right now! Leave 1 for your family, you have the rest that's in the box. :raz:

W.K. Leung ("Ah Leung") aka "hzrt8w"
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Tepee

Tepee

Posted
  • Topic Starter
Posted

I'm away for one day and the thread turns mooney( I can picture Sue-On's, err, act :cool: ) and looney???? :wacko:

I was out buying mooncake moulds yesterday, and at one shop (I went to 3) the proprietor saw me spending a considerable amount of time choosing which mould to buy. He said to me, "If you want to know which mould is good, just knock it on your head!" Methinks several individuals upthread needs some knocking. :rolleyes::raz::laugh:

TPcal!

Food Pix (plus others)

Please take pictures of all the food you get to try (and if you can, the food at the next tables)............................Dejah

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Dejah

Dejah

Posted
Posted
Honestly, I am so looking forward to the Moon Festival. :wub:

Why wait? Just go and cut one up right now! Leave 1 for your family, you have the rest that's in the box.

Teepee is the mooncake wizard.

Dejah is the apprentice wizard.

hz is just a waterbody. :raz:

I think hzrt has got that right! Teepee is the mooncake wizard. I can't even be the apprentice as I ain't gonna make any. :raz:

Can't indulge in mooncake right now. I made peach/apricot/pineapple conserve today, and I just had to have a bowl with toast this evening! :wub:

Dejah

www.hillmanweb.com

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sheetz

sheetz

Posted
Posted

OK, I just got back from the local Chinese grocery store and I can get red beans, lotus seeds (a lot more expensive), and maltose. No alkaline water.

Questions:

1. Does anyone know if adzuki beans are definitely the same thing as Chinese red beans? Another ethnic grocer carries those for a lot less money than the red beans at the Chinese grocer.

2. Tepee, what exactly is in the alkaline water that you use? Is it a solution made from potassium carbonate, sodium hydroxide, or is it something else?

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trillium

trillium

Posted
Posted
OK, I just got back from the local Chinese grocery store and I can get red beans, lotus seeds (a lot more expensive), and maltose. No alkaline water.

Questions:

1. Does anyone know if adzuki beans are definitely the same thing as Chinese red beans?  Another ethnic grocer carries those for a lot less money than the red beans at the Chinese grocer.

2. Tepee, what exactly is in the alkaline water that you use? Is it a solution made from potassium carbonate, sodium hydroxide, or is it something else?

Red beans for Cantonese cooking are different from adzuki beans. The phonetic for the lye water is kan sui. You can usually find it in the row with bottles of vinegar, etc. or with stuff for baking (like fake pandan flavor). If you are desperate and can't find it, pm me and I'll mail you a bottle.

regards,

trilium

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sheetz

sheetz

Posted
Posted
OK, I just got back from the local Chinese grocery store and I can get red beans, lotus seeds (a lot more expensive), and maltose. No alkaline water.

Questions:

1. Does anyone know if adzuki beans are definitely the same thing as Chinese red beans?  Another ethnic grocer carries those for a lot less money than the red beans at the Chinese grocer.

2. Tepee, what exactly is in the alkaline water that you use? Is it a solution made from potassium carbonate, sodium hydroxide, or is it something else?

Red beans for Cantonese cooking are different from adzuki beans. The phonetic for the lye water is kan sui. You can usually find it in the row with bottles of vinegar, etc. or with stuff for baking (like fake pandan flavor). If you are desperate and can't find it, pm me and I'll mail you a bottle.

regards,

trilium

Thanks. I've read that adzuki beans were the same as red beans, but if they're not that's no big deal. Regarding the alkaline/lye water I just wanted to make sure what it was so I bought the right thing. If it's kan sui I can just ask my folks to send me a bottle.

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Tepee

Tepee

Posted
  • Topic Starter
Posted

Michael, soalan ini susah sangat kerana saya memang tak pernah fikir tentangnya.

Anyway, thanks for making me do some googling. Maltose or malt sugar is used for many chinese confectionery because of its mild sweet taste and strong hygroscopicity, ie. readiness in absorbing moisture from the atmosphere. I'm sure you'll find maltose as an ingredient in chinese sweets which are chewy.

TPcal!

Food Pix (plus others)

Please take pictures of all the food you get to try (and if you can, the food at the next tables)............................Dejah

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Tepee

Tepee

Posted
  • Topic Starter
Posted (edited)
Red beans for Cantonese cooking are different from adzuki beans.  The phonetic for the lye water is kan sui.

Trillium is correct. The red beans are smaller than adzuki beans. As for the kan sui, just get a small bottle as it goes a long way, you only use it by teaspoonfuls after all.

Edited by Tepee (log)

TPcal!

Food Pix (plus others)

Please take pictures of all the food you get to try (and if you can, the food at the next tables)............................Dejah

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sheetz

sheetz

Posted
Posted (edited)

Trillium is correct. The red beans are smaller than adzuki beans. As for the kan sui, just get a small bottle as it goes a long way, you only use it by teaspoonfuls after all.

I did notice that that the adzuki beans are smaller. But what about the difference in taste? I may go ahead and buy some just to see how much of a difference it really makes.

Edited by sheetz (log)
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Pan

Pan

Posted
Posted
Michael, soalan ini susah sangat kerana saya memang tak pernah fikir tentangnya.

Anyway, thanks for making me do some googling. Maltose or malt sugar is used for many chinese confectionery because of its mild sweet taste and strong hygroscopicity, ie. readiness in absorbing moisture from the atmosphere. I'm sure you'll find maltose as an ingredient in chinese sweets which are chewy.

Sekelian terima kasih (=thanks a lot). That's really interesting. So maltose is used partly because it absorbs water out of the atmosphere.

Michael aka "Pan"

 

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