Moon Cake Festival

When Moon Festival is near, us girls like to get together to make this traditional moon cake recipe given to us by a very special someone...a better baker than me. The process of making these may be somewhat tedious but worthwhile when a group of us are making it together, in the mood of joy and celebration. 

We would have these during a nice night's barbecue and long play session (the kids). 

I'm not sure what the story behind the Moon Cake Festival is...okay, I forgot. My mom told before as she learnt it in school in Taiwan, but we don't learn about all the traditional Chinese celebrations here except a little on Chinese New Year. 

Lots of love. A moon cake for you (:

Red Bean Moon Cakes

Makes 33

outer layer

54 grams sugar

300 grams plain flour

120 grams water

120 grams butter, melted

1-2 egg yolks

1 small packet of black sesame seeds

inner layer

260 grams cake flour

120 grams butter, softened

filling

500 g red bean paste

160 grams walnuts

Directions:

outer layer...

1. Firstly, mix the melted butter and water together.
2. In another bowl, sift the sugar and flour together. Then add the butter water mixture to the flour and sugar and mix. Knead together until it resembles a dough and looks shiny. Cover with a plastic wrap and leave for 20 minutes.
3. After 20 minutes, take dough and divide into 33 equal proportions weighing about 18 grams each.

inner layer...

1. While the outer layer is left to rest for 20 minutes, you can being making the inner layer by sifting the cake flour bit by bit onto the softened butter and knead it together. Be quick to incorporate the two components together as the butter will dry out very quickly causing the dough to become crumbly. So quickly combine them together until the dough looks shiny and is in one piece. Cover up in plastic wrap and rest for 10 minutes.
2. After resting period, divide the dough into 33 equal proportions weighing about 12 grams each.

filling...

1. Crush the walnuts first into little bits and then mix it into the red bean paste. 
2. Divide into 33 equal proportions weighing about 20 grams each.
3. When everything is ready to go including the layered skins, begin by taking a piece of the outer layer and wrap it around an inner layer piece.
4. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius.
5. After all have been wrapped, take the large piece of outer/inner layer dough and roll out long ways, so it resembles an oval. Then take it from one side and roll it up, like rolling up carpet. 
6. After all that has been done, take the rolled up dough and where the top resembled swirls (rolled up carpet top), press down into a circle shape. Then wrap the red bean filling within and enclose.
7. Place the red bean filled dough now and place on the baking tray with baking paper. The finished product should resemble something of a spherical shape. Brush these with some egg yolk and sprinkle with some black sesame seeds on top.
8. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden.