Directions

Make 2 Different Kinds of Dough

1. Su (苏) refers to the city, Suzhou (苏州) where it is originally from. This word has the same pronunciation as Su (酥), which means airy and flaky because this mooncake has layers of crust, kind of like a pastry. To create that multi-layered structure, we have to make 2 different kinds of dough. One is called Yousu (油酥), made with butter and flour. The other one is called Shuiyoupi (水油皮), made with water, butter, flour, and honey.
   
2. To make the Yousu, microwave the butter until fully melted then pour it into the cake flour. Mix well and let it cool to lukewarm. Use your hand to knead knead the dough for a few minutes or until the texture becomes soft and spreadable. Cover the dough and let it rest for 30 minutes.
   
3. To make the Shuiyoupi (水油皮). Combine the water, butter, and honey in a cup then microwave it on full power for 1-1.5 minutes or until the water is slightly simmering. Pour the mixture into the cake flour and stir to in-cooperate them. Once it cools to lukewarm, knead it by hand for 5 minutes or until smooth. Cover the dough and let it rest for 30 minutes.
   

Make the Filling

1. Season the ground pork with salt, soy sauce, dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, cornstarch, minced garlic, minced ginger, Chinese cooking wine, and diced scallion.
   
2. Mix the filling within one direction for a few minutes to develop the texture. Cover it and chill it in the fridge as you continue working on the dough.
   

Combine 2 Different Kinds of Dough

1. Divide the Shuiyoupi dough in half. Take one half and round it into a ball. Flatten it with your hand then roll into a disk. Lift it up and use the rolling pin to roll the edge thinner. Do that all the way around and you will get a big wrapper with thick middle and thinner edge. Set it aside.
   
2. Knead the yousu dough for a few minutes or until it becomes soft and spreadable because after 30 minutes of resting, the texture will be firm.
   
3. Split the Yousu dough in half. Take one half and roll it into a ball. Use the Shuiyoupi wrapper to wrap the Yousu dough. Once done, cover it with a plastic film let it rest for 15 minutes on the side.
   
4. Do the same thing to the other half of the dough. Roll the Shuiyoupi dough into a wrapper and use it to wrap the Yousu dough. Cover it with a plastic film and set it aside for 15 minutes.
   

5. By now, the first half should be done resting. Sprinkle some flour to prevent sticking. Roll it into a rectangle. It is very easy. You just push out 4 corners and it will turn into a rectangle. Fold the rectangle sheet into 1/3 then cover with a plastic wrap and let it rest for 15 minutes.

   
6. Do the same thing for the other half. Roll it into a rectangle and fold it into 1/3, then cover and rest for 15 minutes.
   
7. Move back to the previous folded rectangle. It should be done resting. Continue to roll it into a bigger rectangle sheet. The size should be 12*6 inches. Lightly wet your hands and dab a little bit moisture on the surface. Then roll the sheet into a long log. Cover the log with a plastic wrap and let it rest for 15 minutes.
   
8. Do the same thing and roll the other dough into a log. Make sure the length matches. Cover well and set it aside for 15 minutes.
   

Wrap the Mooncake and Bake

1. Take the filling out of the fridge. Divide it into 10 even pieces, about 25g each. Roll each one into a ball and set them aside.
   
2. 2 pastry logs have been rested for 15 minutes. Divide each of into 5 even pieces, making a total 10 portions.
   
3. Put a small dough on the working surface. Press the center, bend the dough in half with the cut surface facing up, then flatten it down. Use a rolling to roll it into a 4 inch wrapper. It won’t be a perfect round and that is ok. Roll the edge of the wrapper to make it thinner because when you wrap the filling, you will have to joint the edge together to close the mooncake. You don’t want that center spot to be too thick and doughy.
   
4. Put a filling in the middle of the wrapper. Lightly wet the edge. Use your fore finger and thumb to keep squeezing and pushing the wrapper up. Pinch the edge and close the mooncake. Do the same thing to wrap the rest of the mooncakes.
   
5. Rest the mooncakes for 15 minutes. Then gently flatten each one into a thick patty.
   
6. Dilute some red food coloring in a little bowl with a tiny bit of water. Then place in a small paper towel. Dip the stamp in the food coloring and stamp the pattern on the mooncake. Make sure you do a few test stamps first.
   
7. Preheat your oven to 360 F. Bake the mooncakes for 30-35 minutes. Every oven is different. Please keep an eye on the mooncakes in last 5 minutes.