月饼秘诀 Evergreen Mooncake Recipes Tips

永远不过时的Y3K月饼秘诀

虽 然庆贺中秋节的气氛越来越淡，然而每年这个季节总是会买几盒月饼应节。女媳给岳母送礼、学生借助一盒月饼表达对老师的感恩……。市场上一早推出各类月饼， 然而价格并不便宜，对于有时间自己动手做月饼的厨艺好手，中秋节除了能够让你大展身手之外，接些月饼订单还可以赚一笔佳节钱。虽然月饼的馅料花样多，然而 万变不离其宗，离不开基本制做法。掌握月饼基本制做法等于掌握了赚钱的厨艺。

每年这个时候总有读者要求我们刊登一些月饼食谱，我们将曾经在《Y3K美厨食谱》第二期刊登过，最值得珍藏的传统月饼制做法重新刊登，这些食谱包括糖浆、饼皮、馅料及许多贴士。

糖浆(贴士)

☆ 制做糖浆时不可搅动，以免已经溶解的糖浆重新结晶。

★ 制做糖浆加入数片柠檬（连籽），可避免糖浆重新结晶。

☆ 糖浆可以提早一年制做，盖好存放在室温处，翌年才采用颜色会更加均匀。

炒馅料(贴士)

★ 自己炒莲蓉馅料最好选择湘莲，胶质较多，烘烤时不会膨胀而挤坏饼皮。

☆ 炒馅料时将油分数次加入，比较容易吸收。

★ 炒馅料最好采用好的不锈钢镬，热度较均匀。

☆ 将馅料炒至离镬及起泡，但注意不可让油溢出（万一出油的补救方法是加入少许水再炒）。

★现在流行低糖，将糖份减少会影响月饼的可口度及耐放度，可能会提早发霉，不可不注意。

制做月饼(贴士)

☆ 月饼皮的重量一般上介于40克左右，馅料百多克（视月饼模的大小而定）。

★ 如果放咸蛋黄，将馅料的重量减去蛋黄的重量。

☆ 将新买的木制月饼模浸在油内过夜，以防敲打时爆裂。

★ 在按入月饼之前，将月饼模撒上少许面粉，以免粘着月饼模。

☆ 由于月饼一年只做一次，每个模型的份量有所差异，记得将你的模型背后写上馅料及皮料的重量。

★ 刚烘好的月饼饼皮较脆及干，必需置最少24小时吸收馅料的油，饼皮才会变软。

☆ 多余的月饼皮可以做成猪仔饼，让小孩将来有个美好回忆。

炸潮州月饼(贴士)

★ 炸潮州月饼的油必须够滚，否则炸不脆及饼皮吸太多油，炸的时间一久馅料会膨胀。

☆ 炸潮州月饼每次只炸少量以免油温突然间降低。

Custom-Made For Success Evergreen Mooncake Recipes

The Mid Autumn Festival is no longer as exciting as it used to be, before men landed on the moon but somehow lanterns and mooncakes have survived to this day because of their historical
significance. Thus mooncakes retain an important place in the Chinese culture and most households prefer to buy them as gifts to relatives, to renew friendship or as a token of appreciation from students to teachers.

It is also that time of the year again, when restaurants, hotels and bakery shops advertise their goodies and the many varieties available. These Chinese delicacies do not come cheap anymore. In fact, mooncakes can be quite exorbitant in price, depending on what is used as a filling. Many homemakers bake their own mooncakes as in general, it is not too difficult to handle if you follow the recommended recipes as precisely as possible. The more adventurous can try and accept baking orders from home as mooncakes can be eaten for all seasons.

Every year around this time, we receive many requests for mooncake recipes. Though it sounds easy, making good mooncakes demand patience and a lot of time. Although it has been featured in Y3K Issue 2 before, we are reprinting it for the benefit of readers who do not possess the past issue. Please read through the following on syrup, pastry and filling before you get started as these are all golden rules of making mooncakes. Have a fun time trying the recipes.

Syrup: （Tips）

* Do not stir syrup to prevent the dissolved syrup from crystallization.

* Adding in a few slices of lemon (with seeds) will prevent syrup from forming crystals.

* Syrup can be made a year in advance. Cover it properly.

* Store at room temperature. This storage period will even out the colour nicely.

Frying filling: (Tips)

* Make your own lotus seed paste by using good quality lotus seeds (seong lin with skins). It has a better starch content and during the baking process, it would not burst open the mooncakes' skin.

* Do not add all the cooking oil in at once. Do it gradually in small amount. This is better for absorption.

* Use a stainless steel wok as temperature is even.

* Fry filling on low heat till it leaves the wok and has started to foam. Please note that oil should not seep out (if it does, the only remedy is to add a little water and stir-fry again)

* At present, it is a craze to use low sugar contents but this actually makes the mooncakes not so nice in texture and does not keep well. Check on mooncakes as it can turn mouldy rather quickly.

Making Of Mooncakes: (Tips)

* Divide skin dough into 40 grams and filling at a hundred plus grams (depending on the size of the mould).

* If using salted egg yolks in each filling, the weight of each yolk must be considered. Thus the filling's weight should be smaller as you minus the weight of yolk.

* New wooden mooncakes moulds must be soaked in oil overnight to prevent breakage as you knock the mould against the table to dislodge the mooncakes.

* Dust mould with a little flour before imprinting mooncakes to prevent it from sticking onto the base.

* As you normally make mooncakes once a year (for homemakers), it is wise to mark out the weight needed for skin dough and filling at the back of each different mould.

* Freshly baked mooncakes are dry as they need time to release the oil's content. Eat them 24 hours later for better flavour and texture.

* Excess skin dough can be used to churn out fanciful piggy biscuits and kids simply adore them,

To Deep-fry Teochew Mooncakes: (Tips)

* Oil must be at a rolling boil or else skin does not crisp and soaks in excess oil. Do not prolong frying time as filling can overflow.

* Do not fry too many pieces at the same time as oil's temperature can be lowered.