Recipe: Spiral Flaky Mooncakes

Makes 12 mooncakes

[Ingredients]
Chinese Flaky Pastry:
Water Dough:
125g plain flour
20g caster sugar
50g lard
60ml water, adjust as necessary

Lard Dough:
120g cake flour
60g lard
1/2 teaspoon pandan paste

Filling:
300g Pandan Lotus Paste

[Preparation]
Chinese Flaky Pastry:
1. For the Water Dough: Put flour, sugar and lard in a mixing bowl, mix briefly to incorporate the lard. Slowly add just enough water to form a soft but non-sticky dough. Knead until smooth, form into a ball, wrap in cling film and set aside (or put in the refrigerator in hot weather) for about 20 minutes before using.

2. For the Lard Dough: Rub lard into the flour until a soft dough formed. Add pandan paste and knead in well. If it is too soft, chill in the refrigerator to harden a bit. If it is too hard, knead it a bit more until you get soft dough about the same pliability as the water dough. It is important that the malleability of the lard dough should be about the same as the water dough when making the Chinese flaky pastry.

3. Divide the water dough and the lard dough respectively into 6 equal portions each and round them all into small balls.

4. Follow the preparation of the Visible Layering – Spiral (Escargot) Flaky Pastry as shown in Huaiyang Flaky Pastry.

5. Option A (deep-frying): Heat oil in a wok or saucepan to 180°C, reduce heat and deep-fry the pastry until golden brown in colour.

Option B (baking): Preheat oven to 200°C. Line a baking sheet with baking paper. Arrange the pastry apart on the lined baking sheet. Bake for 16-18 minutes, or until the puffs are golden brown in colour.

1. First make the water dough and lard dough separately according to recipe. Divide the water dough and lard dough into small equal portions according to the recipe. Take a piece of water dough and a piece of lard dough. Roll out the water dough into a flat circle. Place the rounded lard dough in the centre of the flat circle.
2. Gather the outer edges of the water dough circle and wrap up the lard dough ball.
3. Pinch and seal the edges.
4. With the heel of your palm, gently press the dough down to flatten it lightly.
5. Using a small rolling pin, roll out the dough.
6. Roll the dough up Swiss-roll style.
7. Make sure you roll it tight.
8. Turn the rolled dough 90 degrees.
9. Roll out the dough again.
10. Roll up Swiss-roll style again
11. Cover the dough and rest for 15 minutes and then it is ready for filling and shaping.

Technique for Hidden Layering shaping 暗酥

12. With the heel of your palm, gently press the dough down to flatten it lightly.
13. Roll out the dough.
14. Place filling in the centre.
15. Gather the outer edges of the dough circle and wrap up the filling.
16. Pinch and seal the edges making sure the seal is tight. (This is ready for baking if the recipe calls for pau shape.)
17. Turn the dough upside down so the sealed end is underneath.
18. Egg wash the surface if desired and bake or deep-fry according to recipe.

Technique for Visible Layering – Spiral (Escargot) shaping 圓酥

1. Proceed with Technique for Making Chinese Flaky Pastry using Small-Scale Method up to step 11.
2. Cut the dough crosswise into two pieces.
3. The cut surface reveals the spiral layering.
4. Turn the dough so the cut surface is facing downward.
5. With the heel of your palm, gently press the dough down to flatten it lightly.
6. Roll out the dough.
7. Place filling in the centre.
8. Gather the outer edges of the dough circle and wrap up the filling.
9. Pinch and seal the edges making sure the seal is tight.
10. Turn the dough upside down so the sealed end is underneath. Bake or deep-fry according to recipe (do not egg wash as it will destroy the layering effect).

Technique for Visible Layering – Parallel shaping 直酥

1. Proceed with Technique for Making Chinese Flaky Pastry using Small-Scale Method up to step 11.
2. Cut the dough lengthways into two pieces.
3. The cut surface reveals the parallel layering.
4. Turn the dough so the cut surface is facing downward.
5. With the heel of your palm, gently press the dough down to flatten it lightly.
6. Roll out the dough.
7. Place filling in the centre. Gather the outer edges of the dough circle and wrap up the filling.
8. Pinch and seal the edges making sure the seal is tight.
9. Turn the dough upside down so the sealed end is underneath. Bake or deep-fry according to recipe (do not egg wash as it will destroy the layering effect).