Like other ancient symbolic foods, there are as many legends surrounding the moon cake as there are many types of moon cakes. In one story, moon cakes were originated in ancient times to pay homage to the moon. According to other sources, the moon cake was invented as a way to honor the Moon Goddess Chang-Er.
The most famous tale about moon cakes is said that during the end of the Mongolian ruled ,the Chinese rebelled Chu Yuan-chang by spreading a secret message baked in moon cakes giving the instructions "revolt on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month". On the night of the brightest moon, these revolutionary fighters successfully attacked and overthrew the Mongolian army.
Although all Chinese celebrate the Autumn Moon Festival with moon cakes, the look and flavor of the cakes vary from region to region. Outside China in countries such as Indonesia, Japan, Singapore, and Vietnam there exist yet more variations. Within China there are five main moon cake producing regions: Beijing, Tianjin, Suzhou, Chaozhou, and Guangzhou. Beijing and Tianjin moon cakes typically have white flaky or foamy crusts and made with a vegetable filling and a liberal use of oil. Suzhou moon cakes, developed over a thousand years ago, are small cakes with strong oily and sweet flavors, and are famous for their flaky exterior. Suzhou's savory cakes are usually filled with minced pork and served hot. Chaozhou moon cakes are round with a layered flaky crust. The Guangzhou version, which is the type Westerners are most familiar with, are round or square cakes with soft golden brown exteriors commonly filled with sweet lotus paste and a salted duck egg (or two). The cake is customarily cut into quarters, thus causing the yolk to resemble a full moon.
The most famous tale about moon cakes is said that during the end of the Mongolian ruled ,the Chinese rebelled Chu Yuan-chang by spreading a secret message baked in moon cakes giving the instructions "revolt on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month". On the night of the brightest moon, these revolutionary fighters successfully attacked and overthrew the Mongolian army.
Although all Chinese celebrate the Autumn Moon Festival with moon cakes, the look and flavor of the cakes vary from region to region. Outside China in countries such as Indonesia, Japan, Singapore, and Vietnam there exist yet more variations. Within China there are five main moon cake producing regions: Beijing, Tianjin, Suzhou, Chaozhou, and Guangzhou. Beijing and Tianjin moon cakes typically have white flaky or foamy crusts and made with a vegetable filling and a liberal use of oil. Suzhou moon cakes, developed over a thousand years ago, are small cakes with strong oily and sweet flavors, and are famous for their flaky exterior. Suzhou's savory cakes are usually filled with minced pork and served hot. Chaozhou moon cakes are round with a layered flaky crust. The Guangzhou version, which is the type Westerners are most familiar with, are round or square cakes with soft golden brown exteriors commonly filled with sweet lotus paste and a salted duck egg (or two). The cake is customarily cut into quarters, thus causing the yolk to resemble a full moon.
Ingredients:
1 egg (beaten)
30 g sesame seeds
Water dough:
•150 g all purpose flour
•50 g shortening
•15 g sugar
•100 ml water
Oil Dough:
•150g all purpose flour
•100 g shortening
Filling:
300 g lotus seed paste
100g pumpkin seeds
Method:
1.Mix all ingredients for water dough until it forms a soft dough. Let rest for 20 minutes then divide into 10 balls. Set aside.
2.For oil dough, mix all the ingredients then divide into 10 balls. Set aside.
3.Wrap water dough over oil dough, repeating with the rest of the balls.
4.Take one dough and roll out flat to about 1/8 inch thin. Once rolled out, roll up like a Swiss roll.
5.Roll out again and roll into a Swiss roll (altogether twice).
6. Measure about 30g lotus seed paste and mixed with the pumpkin seeds..
7. Flatten the dough and roll into a circle, big enough to cover the filling.
8. Wrap the dough over the filling. This will yield 10 moon cakes of about 1 1/2 inch diameter.
10. Bake at 100 degrees centigrade for 15-20 minutes.
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