Ham and Nut Mooncakes (Wu Ren Yue Bing 五仁月饼)

Method29 steps

1. 1

   Step 1: Heat all ½ lb syrup sugar with its separate ½ cup water in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring to dissolve. When it boils, add the juice from the half lemon, stir once to combine, and immediately reduce the heat to low.

   Uses ½ lb granulated sugar for the syrup batch · ½ cup water for the syrup batch · ½ lemon, juiced, for syrup

2. 2

   Step 2: Simmer the syrup from step 1 uncovered over low heat for about 60–70 minutes, checking from 60 minutes, until light amber. Do not stir during this phase. It will thicken as it cools. If over-thickened, carefully add a few drops of the optional hot water at a time to loosen it.

   First inverted-syrup check · 60 minUses Sugar, water and lemon syrup · a few drops hot water, only if syrup is over-thickened

   
3. 3

   Step 3: Pour the syrup from step 2 into a heatproof container and cool completely. Its cooled consistency should resemble honey. Measure 140 ml for the dough in step 4 and refrigerate the remainder; the finished batch volume is not specified.

   Uses Homemade inverted syrup batch

4. 4

   Step 4: Mix the 140 ml cooled syrup from step 3 with all ⅓ cup dough peanut oil and 1 tsp purchased culinary food-grade lye water. Fold in all 1⅔ cups dough all-purpose flour with a spatula to form a soft dough, without overworking it.

   Uses 140 ml cooled homemade syrup, measured from the batch · ⅓ cup peanut oil for dough · 1 tsp purchased culinary food-grade lye water · 1⅔ cups all-purpose flour for dough

   
5. 5

   Step 5: As soon as the dough from step 4 comes together, cover it airtight or wrap it. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour so it is easier to work with. The initial mixing should only take about 1–2 minutes; the refrigerated rest is a separate wait.

   Minimum refrigerated dough rest · 60 minUses Soft mooncake dough

   
6. 6

   Step 6: Put all 100 g Jinhua hard-cured ham in a heatproof bowl in a steamer, with water outside the bowl. Bring the steamer water to a boil and establish steady steam, then steam for about 15 minutes. Check that the ham is fully cooked to 63°C, following any longer package requirements, and continue steaming if needed. Retain the liquid collected inside its bowl and rest the ham in step 7.

   First ham steaming check · 15 minUses 100 g Chinese Jinhua hard-cured ham · water for the steamer outside the ham bowl

7. 7

   Step 7: After the ham in step 6 reaches 63°C, take its bowl off the heat and let the ham rest for at least 3 minutes. Keep the collected steaming liquid separate. Finely chop the rested ham and retain the liquid for the measured filling draw; refrigerate both promptly if holding while the other filling ingredients are prepared.

   Rest cooked ham · 3 minUses Fully cooked ham lifted from its steaming liquid · Liquid collected in the ham steaming bowl, kept separate

8. 8

   Step 8: Preheat the oven to 325°F (163°C). Toast the separate 100 g walnuts, 100 g cashews and 100 g pecans for about 5–10 minutes. Begin checking closely from 3 minutes; once fragrant, stand beside the oven until toasted to your liking. Remove before they burn. Toast the seeds separately in step 9.

   Begin watching nut toasting · 3 minUses 100 g walnuts, to toast for the filling · 100 g cashews, to toast for the filling · 100 g pecans, to toast for the filling

   
9. 9

   Step 9: In the 325°F (163°C) oven, toast the separate 75 g pumpkin seeds, 60 g sunflower seeds and 60 g sesame seeds for about 5–10 minutes. Begin checking closely from 3 minutes; once fragrant, stay beside the oven until toasted to your liking. Remove before they burn.

   Begin watching seed toasting · 3 minUses 75 g pumpkin seeds, to toast for the filling · 60 g sunflower seeds, to toast for the filling · 60 g sesame seeds, to toast for the filling

10. 10

    Step 10: Let the toasted nuts from step 8 and seeds from step 9 cool enough to handle. Chop the walnuts, cashews and pecans, then combine them with the pumpkin, sunflower and sesame seeds in a large mixing bowl.

    Uses Toasted walnuts, cashews and pecans · Toasted pumpkin, sunflower and sesame seeds

11. 11

    Step 11: In a clean, dry wok, toast all 200 g sweet rice flour over medium-low heat for about 15–20 minutes, stirring often until light brown. Adjust the heat to prevent scorching, then take it off the heat.

    Uses 200 g sweet rice flour

    
12. 12

    Step 12: Heat all ⅓ cup filling peanut oil in a small saucepan until it just begins to smoke lightly. Turn off the heat and let it cool before mixing into the filling.

    Uses ⅓ cup peanut oil for filling

13. 13

    Step 13: To the combined chopped nuts and seeds from step 10, add all the chopped cooked ham from step 7, 50 g currants, 150 g filling sugar, ½ tsp salt and ¼ tsp five-spice powder. Mix well. Add 2 tbsp liquid collected from the ham bowl in step 7, all 2 tbsp bai jiu, the cooled filling oil from step 12 and the separate ½ cup filling water. Stir to combine.

    Uses Combined chopped toasted nuts and seeds · All chopped cooked ham, excluding reserved steaming liquid · 2 tbsp liquid collected from steaming the ham · 50 g dried currants · 150 g granulated sugar for filling · ½ teaspoon salt · ¼ teaspoon five spice powder · 2 tablespoons Chinese bai jiu 白酒

    
14. 14

    Step 14: Gradually add all the toasted sweet rice flour from step 11 to the ham-and-nut mixture from step 13. It should be somewhat dry and crumbly but squeeze into a firm ball. Add a little optional extra peanut oil only if needed to make it bind.

    Uses Ham, nut, seed and liquid filling mixture · Toasted sweet rice flour · extra peanut oil, only if needed to bind filling

15. 15

    Step 15: Weigh the completed filling from step 14 and divide it into 18 equal portions. Squeeze each into a ball. Keep the filling covered and chilled when holding it between assembly batches.

    Uses Bound completed ham-and-nut filling

16. 16

    Step 16: After the dough from step 5 has rested for at least an hour in the refrigerator, divide it into 18 main portions for the mooncakes. Use a dry round mold of about 100 g capacity; this is a shaping guide rather than a guaranteed finished cake weight.

    Uses Rested refrigerated mooncake dough

17. 17

    Step 17: Roll the 18 dough portions from step 16 into balls, with roughly 25–30 g per main ball as a guide. Reserve a small piece of dough for mending tears, keeping the 18 main wrappers ready and covered so they do not dry out.

    Uses Divided mooncake dough portions

18. 18

    Step 18: Check the filling balls from step 15 against the dough balls in step 17 and the mold size. Roughly 65–70 g filling per cake is the guide; preserve the 18 equal filling portions rather than adding extra filling to force a weight.

    Uses Eighteen ham-and-nut filling balls

19. 19

    Step 19: Prepare a completely dry round mooncake mold. Attach its patterned top plate and wrap the separate bottom plate with clean plastic. Dust inside the mold with extra all-purpose flour and shake out the excess. Repeat the dusting before each cake.

    Uses extra all-purpose flour for dough, work surface and mold dusting

20. 20

    Step 20: Dust one dough ball from step 17 and the work surface with extra flour. Roll it into a 4-inch round. Put one ham-and-nut filling ball from step 18 in the center. Lift carefully and gently pinch the dough closed around the filling, pressing out air pockets while keeping the wrapper evenly distributed.

    Uses One prepared dough ball for this mooncake · One prepared ham-and-nut filling ball for this mooncake · extra all-purpose flour for dough, work surface and mold dusting

21. 21

    Step 21: Inspect the wrapped mooncake from step 20 and gently close any gaps without trapping air. Dust its outside with a little more flour so it will release from the mold.

    Uses Wrapped ham-and-nut mooncake · extra all-purpose flour for dough, work surface and mold dusting

22. 22

    Step 22: Place the floured wrapped mooncake from step 21 into the prepared mold from step 19, opening facing up. Press in the plastic-wrapped bottom plate with gentle, even pressure.

    Uses Floured wrapped mooncake

23. 23

    Step 23: Set the mold down and press the cake out using its top bar, supporting it gently with your other hand. If a piece sticks, patch that area with a little reserved dough from step 17. Clean and flour the mold again, lightly compress the cake to fit, and press again. Place each cake on a baking sheet. Repeat steps 20–23 with the remaining dough and filling to make the 18 cakes; keep any waiting ham-filled cakes chilled.

    Uses Pressed ham-and-nut mooncake · Reserved mending dough, only if needed · Remaining dough balls for repeating assembly · Remaining filling balls for repeating assembly · extra all-purpose flour for dough, work surface and mold dusting

24. 24

    Step 24: When nearly ready to bake, preheat the oven to 325°F (163°C), with a rack in the middle. Arrange the assembled mooncakes from step 23 in a single layer. Lightly mist their surfaces with separate clean water using a food-grade spray bottle or clean wet fingers. Prepare the egg wash in step 25, then bake without delay.

    Uses Assembled mooncakes ready for baking · clean water for lightly misting assembled mooncakes

25. 25

    Step 25: Whisk the 1 egg yolk with its separate 3 tbsp water to make the egg wash. Keep this bowl separate from the water used to mist the mooncakes. Have a natural-bristle pastry brush ready for step 27.

    Uses 1 egg yolk for wash · 3 tbsp water for egg wash

26. 26

    Step 26: Place an oven batch of the misted mooncakes from step 24 in the preheated 325°F (163°C) oven and bake for 5 minutes. Keep any cakes waiting for another oven batch chilled and follow the same two baking phases for each batch.

    First mooncake bake · 5 minUses Misted mooncakes in this oven batch

27. 27

    Step 27: After the first 5-minute bake in step 26, remove the tray and reduce the oven to 300°F (149°C). Lightly brush the cakes with some of the prepared egg wash from step 25 using a natural-bristle brush, then return the tray to the oven. Avoid flooding the patterned surface with wash; discard unused wash after baking.

    Uses Mooncakes after their first bake · Prepared egg wash used lightly on this batch

28. 28

    Step 28: Bake the egg-washed cakes from step 27 for another 15 minutes at 300°F (149°C). Check that the dough is baked through and the thin egg coating is fully cooked and set; continue if needed. Remove and cool on a rack. Repeat the two timed baking phases for any remaining oven batch. The crust may look dry at first.

    Second mooncake bake · 15 minUses Lightly egg-washed mooncakes ready for final baking

29. 29

    Step 29: Cool the baked mooncakes from step 28 promptly, then refrigerate them in covered shallow containers within 2 hours of baking, or within 1 hour above 32°C. Keep refrigerated for 1–2 days before serving, allowing the texture to develop during storage. Keep refrigerated and use within 3–4 days; offer tea when serving.

    Uses Collected fully baked ham-and-nut mooncakes