Blue Snow Skin Mooncakes
Recipe Published: Sept 18, 2021 | Updated: Aug 7, 2022
Written by: Jasma
RECIPE BREAKDOWN
Difficulty: a tad complicated | Time note: dried lotus seeds require least 2 hours to soak, snow skin and filling require at least 3 hours to chill (overnight suggested) | Serving: 13 50g mooncakes
INGREDIENTS
Filling:
90 g (3/4 cup) dried white lotus seeds (about 200g after soaking)
100 g (1/2 cup) water
60 g (1/4 cup) white granulated sugar
20 g (2 tbsp) maltose (substitutable by honey but reduce it since maltose is less sweet)
50 g (1/4 cup) flavourless oil
Pinch of salt
80 g (1/4 cup) blueberry jam
Cooked Glutinous Rice Flour:
30 g (1/4 cup) glutinous rice flour
Butterfly Pea Flower Tea:
1/2 tbsp butterfly pea flowers (adjust quantity according to desired colour intensity)
55 g (1/4 cup) hot water
Snow Skin:
40 g (1/3 cup) glutinous rice flour
40 g (1/3 cup) rice flour
20 g (1 1/2 tbsp) wheat starch
45 g (1/2 cup) icing sugar
50 g (1/4 cup) butterfly pea flower tea
85 g (1/3 cup) milk
20 g (1 tbsp) sweetened condensed milk
30 g (2 tbsp) flavourless oil
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT
Food processor or high power blender
Non-stick pan
Here's the video tutorial! For more go check out my Youtube channel!
LET’S BEGIN!
Filling
1. Prepare tea by adding boiling water to the butterfly pea flower. Allow it to steep until the colour is infused.
2. To make the batter for the snow skin, mix the glutinous rice flour, rice flour, wheat starch, and icing sugar together in a bowl.
3. Once combined, pour in the milk, flavourless oil, sweetened condensed milk, and strained butterfly pea flower tea. Mix until the batter is smooth (pass through a sieve if there are any lumps).
4. Transfer the batter into a shallow, steam-safe container.
5. Steam on medium heat for 25 mins until no liquid batter remains (test by cutting the dough with a knife). Note: Place a folded paper towel between the lid so that it rests on a slant, this way the condensation that forms while steaming won’t drip into the bowl.
6. Transfer the cooked snow skin into a stand mixer bowl fitted with a hook or paddle attachment. Knead for about 5 mins on medium-low speed, scraping the sides occasionally, until the dough is smooth and slightly cooled. (If you do not have a stand mixer, doing this by hand also works, it will however be quite a sticky process…watch previous mooncake videos for reference)
7. Wrap the dough in a piece of plastic and place it in the fridge to chill for at least 2 hours. Overnight chilling is recommended. (you can prepare this the day before!)
Snow Skin
8. Prepare the dried lotus seeds by soaking them in cold water for at least 2 hours (overnight is recommended).
9. Once soaked, break open each lotus seed to remove the bitter plumule in the center.
10. Cook the lotus seeds in an Instant Pot or pressure cooker submerged in plenty of water until it’s soft. Test by stabbing the seeds with a fork.
11. Blend the cooked lotus seeds and start with 1/2 cup of cooking liquid, feel free to add a little more liquid if your blender has a tough time. Scrape the sides of the blender every once in a while.
12. Transfer the smooth mixture into a non-stick pan with the salt, white granulated sugar and maltose. Begin cooking on medium heat, stirring constantly.
13. Once sugar is melted, introduce the flavourless oil in two parts. Ensure the mixture is emulsified before adding the second half.
14. Cook until the mixture pulls away from the pan and can hold its shape like soft play-doh.
15. Cover the filling with the surface touching the plastic wrap. Cool at room temperature, then chill in the fridge for at least 3 hours or overnight which is recommended.
Assembly
16. Cook the glutinous rice flour on medium heat until slightly yellow. Set aside to cool before using as a dusting powder.
17. Once the filling and snow skin is firm, measure them into 25 g portions (each half the weight of your mooncake mould).
18. Create a small well in the centre of the ball of filling with a chopstick and pipe the blueberry jam into it. Carefully seal it up and keep everything in the fridge until you begin to assemble.
19. Gently knead the portioned snow skin to soften it slightly.
20. Place the filling onto the snow skin and close up the mooncake slowly, then roll it between your palms to seal it completely. (watch the video to reference the technique)
21. Lightly dust the unpressed mooncake with cooked glutinous rice flour and gently shape it with your palms so it fits the mooncake mould.
22. Press firmly on the mooncake mould stamp and release to reveal your finished product. Repeat.
23. Chilling for a couple of hours before consuming is recommended but otherwise, enjoy!