Chinese Mooncake

Ingredients

• 200 g Flour
• 1 pinch salt
• 80 g cold butter
• 1 egg yolk
• 350 g dried dates
• 1 tbsp Raisins
• 100 ml black tea (e.g., Earl Grey)
• 50 g hazelnuts
• 50 raw cashew nuts
• 50 g peanuts
• 100 g almonds
• 4 hard‑boiled egg yolks
• 2 Eggs
• Salt
• 5 tbsp sugar

Instructions

1. 1.

   Mix the flour, salt, butter and egg yolk with 2–3 tbsp cold water to form a smooth dough; wrap in cling film and chill for about 30 minutes.

2. 2.

   Crush the dates and raisins and soak them in strongly brewed tea for half an hour. While they steep, toast the nuts in a dry pan until golden brown for 2 minutes, then roughly chop them. Boil four eggs in hot water for 8 minutes, cool in cold water, peel and carefully separate the yolks; keep the yolks aside. Use the egg whites elsewhere.

3. 3.

   Drain the tea from the soaked fruits. Beat the remaining two eggs; mix the egg whites with the date mixture, set aside the yolks.

4. 4.

   Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to about 5 mm thickness. Cut circles slightly larger than a mooncake mold or small soufflé tins, place them in greased molds, lift and press the edges firmly. Roll out matching circles for the lids.

5. 5.

   Preheat the oven to 200 °C fan‑forced.

6. 6.

   Cook sugar with 1–2 tbsp water into a thick syrup; let it cool slightly. Add chopped nuts to the syrup, then mix with the date mixture until moist. Fill each mold with the filling, place a salted yolk in the center, cover with filling, and top with a dough lid, sealing well. Brush with remaining yolk.

7. 7.

   Bake in the preheated oven for 20–30 minutes until crisp.