🇨🇳 I Attempted Traditional Mooncakes | Travel To China Through Baking | 🌍 KITCHEN TRAVEL

Have you ever wanted to travel to China without leaving your kitchen? In this episode of Borderless Baking, we're making traditional Cantonese mooncakes, the iconic pastries enjoyed during China's Mid-Autumn Festival. These beautiful pastries are famous for their intricate designs, rich symbolism, and unique fillings—including lotus seed paste and salted duck egg yolk. I'd never tasted a mooncake before, so naturally I decided my first experience should be... making them completely from scratch. What followed was a week-long baking adventure filled with plenty of surprises. The finished mooncakes looked beautiful, but would they actually be worth all the effort? Along the way, you'll also learn about the Mid-Autumn Festival, the legend of Chang'e, and why mooncakes have become one of China's most cherished traditions. 🌍 Welcome to Borderless Baking, where we cross borders through baking, one delicious dessert at a time. Grab your whisk—no passport required. MOONCAKE RECIPES: Lotus Seed Paste: • 340 g dried lotus seeds • 210 g powdered sugar • 300 ml peanut or corn oil • 1/3 cup maltose • water (PLEASE KEEP IN MIND THAT MINE DIDN'T WORK!) 1. Split the lotus seeds and remove any greens in the center. Rinse and soak them overnight, covered with water. 2. Wash and drain the seeds. Add water to just above seed level. Boil over high heat, reduce to low and simmer for 30 minutes. Seeds should be softened, but still formed. 3. Turn off the heat and let cool. Drain - and SAVE - the liquid. 4. Puree the cooked lotus seeds, adding reserved cooking liquid until puree is a smooth, hummus-like consistency. 5. Transfer the puree to a non-stick pan. Over medium heat, stir the puree constantly for about 30 minutes, adding the oil in 3 batches. Do the same with the sugar and maltose. Be sure to thoroughly incorporate each portion before adding the next. The lotus seed paste is done once the paste is both firm and pliable. 6. Remove from heat and cool completely. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Pastry Dough: • 225 g golden syrup (see recipe below) • 120 ml water • Juice of 1/2 lemon 1. Mix wet ingredients. 2. Add wet ingredients to flour, fold to combine into a soft dough. Do not overwork. 3. Cover and chill for 1 hour or overnight. Golden Syrup: • 300 ml water • 800 g cane sugar • 2 Tbsp. lemon juice 1. Combine sugar and water in saucepan and bring to boil, stirring frequently to prevent burning. Stir gently to avoid sugar adhering to sides of saucepan. 2. Stir in lemon juice and reduce heat to a very gentle simmer. 3. Simmer for 40-60 minutes until syrup is a rich amber color. Temperature should be about 240 degrees F. 3. Take it off the heat, let it sit for a few minutes, then pour into a glass jar to cool completely before sealing. 4. Store at room temperature. Baking The Mooncakes: Mist your assembled mooncakes with water, bake for 5 minutes at 325 degrees F, then brush with an egg wash. Bake for another 5 minutes and brush again. Lower the oven temperature to 300 degrees F and bake for another 15 minutes. Cool the mooncakes completely, then store in an airtight container for 1-2 days before serving. TOOLS & INGREDIENTS (as an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases): Mooncake Molds https://amzn.to/4p9n5AC Dried Lotus Seeds https://amzn.to/4ya4Bnq Maltose https://amzn.to/3TnmDmf In case you, too, would rather have a MoonPie https://amzn.to/4eTHDcW