Yunnan Mooncake
- Daniel
- Sep 19, 2023
- 3 min read
Updated: May 20
A close friend of mine from China introduced me to a unique kind of mooncake, distinctively filled with Yunnan's specialty: cured ham. He emphasized how monumental the Mid-Autumn Festival is in China, with each province showcasing its own signature mooncakes.
Shaped and ready for the final rise...
This revelation had me questioning: Why haven’t these regional treasures been more widely celebrated? Outside of the familiar snow-skin and Cantonese-style mooncakes, there's a vast world to explore. My attempt to dig deeper led me to a lone YouTube video, which, while informative, left me grasping for details on ingredients and proportions. You can get the video here.
Just outta the oven...
Undeterred, I put my own spin on it. Opting for economical bacon and a few flavor-enhancing additions, I let intuition be my guide. The outcome was genuinely delightful, surpassing my expectations. I'm already pondering tweaks for next year—like using baking soda over yeast. Now, without further ado, let's roll up our sleeves and dive into this recipe!
Ingredients:
(Make 10 mooncakes)
Dough:
Unbleached All Purpose Flour, 300g
Active Instant Dry Yeast, 5g
Granulated Sugar, 30g
Sea Salt, Pinch
Whole Milk, 150g
Pork Lard, 30g
Sesame Oil, For Greasing
Fillings:
Sesame Oil, 1 TBSP
Bacon Finely Diced, 200g
Sea Salt, Pinch
Black Pepper, Pinch
Soy Sauce, 1 TBSP
ShaoXing / HuaTiao / Sherry Wine, 1 TBSP
Chinese 5 Spice Homemade, 1/2 TSP
Liquid Smoke Preferably Stubb's, 1 TBSP
Pure Honey, 1 TBSP
Light Muscovado Sugar, 1 TBSP
Pork Lard, 1 TBSP
Unbleached All Flour, 50g
Scallions (White Parts Only) Coarsely Chopped, 25g
Egg Lightly Beaten, 1 For Egg Wash
Equipment:
Oven
Cast Iron Skillet / Pan
Directions:
Prepare the Dough
In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, yeast, sugar, and salt.
Do not let the salt touch the yeast directly.
Create a well in the center of the dry mixture.
Gradually pour in milk while mixing with a spatula.
Knead in the lard until incorporated.
Continue kneading inside the bowl for about 10 minutes until smooth and tacky.
The dough should pass the “window-pane” test.
If too dry, add water 1 TBSP at a time. If too sticky, add flour 1 TBSP at a time.
Lightly grease the bowl with sesame oil and place the dough inside.
Cover with a lint-free kitchen towel and let rise for 30 minutes until slightly puffed.
Punch down the dough and fold the top, sides, and bottom toward the center.
Flip over, cover, and let rise for another 1 hour.
Prepare the Fillings
In a skillet over medium heat, add sesame oil.
Add bacon and season with salt and pepper.
Saute until lightly browned.
Add soy sauce and Shaoxing wine.
Saute until well combined and remove from heat.
Transfer to a large mixing bowl and add five spice, liquid smoke, honey, sugar, and lard.
In the same skillet, toast flour until lightly browned and add to the bacon mixture.
Stir in scallions and mix until well combined.
The filling should form into balls without falling apart.
Set aside to cool slightly, then divide into 10 equal portions, about 25g each.
Shape the Dough
After the second proof, divide the dough into 10 equal pieces, about 50g each.
Cover with a lint-free towel and let rest for 15 minutes to relax the gluten.
Flatten each piece into a disc, pinching the edges thinner and leaving the center thick.
Place one filling ball in the center of the dough.
Wrap the dough around the filling and seal tightly to form a ball.
Place on a parchment-lined baking tray.
Cover with a towel and let rise for 30 minutes.
Bake the Mooncakes
Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F).
Lightly brush the mooncakes with egg wash.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown.
Remove from the oven and cool completely before serving.
They taste even better the next day.
Enjoy!
Way better than I expected, will try this again next year...
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