Lotus Seed Moon Cakes

Dim Sum and Other Snack Foods

Lotus Seed Moon Cakes
Ingredients:
3 salted eggs, cooked for four minutes, yolks used, white reserved for another use
2 cups lotus seed paste
1 cup sugar boiled with three tablespoons water until dissolved
4 Tablespoons peanut or another oil
3 cups cake flour
3 Tablespoons vegetable oil
1 egg, beaten
Preparation:
1. Divide each boiled salted egg yolk into four parts. Wrap one-twelfth of the lotus seed paste around each of them, and set aside.
2. Mix boiled sugar syrup, peanut oil, and the flour and make a dough with this; if too runny, add a tablespoon or two more flour, as needed. Knead just to mix, then divide into twelve parts.
3. Brush a moon cake mold with a little oil. Using fingers, pat one part of the dough into the mold, making the bottom a bit thicker than the sides, and be sure it is pushed into the design on the bottom of the mold. Leave some of the dough hanging over the edges of the moon cake mold. Put one lotus paste-wrapped egg package in the center of the mold, and use the overlapping dough pinching it together to close and seal the dough.
4. Knock this sealed package out of the mold onto a baking sheet. Repeat until all twelve moon cakes are made and put on the baking sheet, leaving one inch of space between each of them. Brush the tops of the moon cakes with the beaten egg yolk.
5. Bake the moon cakes in a pre-heated 425 degree F oven on the top shelf for five minutes. Reduce the heat to 300 degrees F and move the baking sheet to the lowest level in the oven. Bake for another fifteen minutes or until the moon cakes are a deep brown color.
5. Remove them to baking racks to cool.
Note: Moon cakes can be served warm or at room temperature.

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