Taiwanese Flaky Mooncakes with Mung Bean and Salted Egg Yolk

Taiwanese mooncakes are different from the dense Cantonese kind: the pastry is layered and flaky, made from a water dough wrapped around an oil dough, and the filling is a smooth, sweet mung bean paste with a whole salted egg yolk in the center. This recipe makes 11 mooncakes and uses an air fryer for baking.

Ingredients

Water dough (outer pastry)

• 250 g (2 cups) all-purpose flour
• 25 g (2 tablespoons) cooking oil
• 25 g (2 tablespoons) unsalted butter
• 45 g (1/3 cup) powdered sugar
• 90 ml (6 tablespoons) filtered water
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Oil dough (inner pastry)

• 130 g (1 cup) all-purpose flour
• 30 g (2 tablespoons) cooking oil
• 30 g (2 tablespoons) unsalted butter

Mung bean filling

• 150 g (3/4 cup) split (hulled) mung beans
• 60 g (5 tablespoons) sugar
• 50 g (1/4 cup) cooking oil
• 10 g (1 tablespoon) cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon water

To assemble

• 11 salted egg yolks
• Rice wine or other clear spirit, for rinsing the yolks
• 1 egg, beaten, for egg wash
• Sesame seeds, for sprinkling

Instructions

Water dough

1. Combine all the water dough ingredients and knead into a dough. Cover and let it rest for 30 minutes; it will become smooth and supple.
2. Divide into portions of about 45 g (1.6 oz) each.

Oil dough

1. Mix the oil dough ingredients thoroughly until they come together into a soft paste.
2. Divide into portions of about 18 g (0.6 oz) each.

Mung bean filling

1. Soak the mung beans for 2–4 hours, then simmer them with 200 ml (3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon) of water until soft, and mash into a smooth paste.
2. Stir in the sugar, oil, cornstarch, and 1 tablespoon of water.
3. Cook the mixture over low heat, stirring constantly so it does not stick or scorch, until it dries into a thick paste, about 30 minutes. Let cool and divide into portions of about 30 g (1 oz) each.

Salted egg yolks

1. Rinse the salted egg yolks in a little rice wine to remove any fishy smell, then air-fry them at 180°C (350°F) for 3 minutes. Let cool.

Assembling and baking

1. Flatten a piece of water dough, place a ball of oil dough in the center, and wrap it up completely. Roll it out into a long oval, roll it up like a jelly roll, then repeat the rolling and rolling-up once more. Cover and rest 10 minutes.
2. Flatten each roll into a round, wrap it around a portion of mung bean paste with a salted egg yolk pressed into the center, and seal well. Repeat for all 11 mooncakes.
3. Preheat the air fryer to 180°C (350°F) for 10 minutes.
4. Bake the mooncakes at 160°C (325°F) for 15 minutes. Remove, brush the tops with egg wash, and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
5. Return to the air fryer and bake at 180°C (350°F) for 7 minutes more, until golden.

Tips

• Fresh from the air fryer the pastry will be hard and crisp. Leave the mooncakes overnight and the crust will soften and turn flaky and tender.
• Mooncakes are not difficult, but they do reward patience and care: small mistakes in wrapping or resting the dough are the most common reason for a tough crust.