apple-cinnamon-life:

Mooncakes are little Chinese pastries eaten during each year the Mid-Autumn Moon Festival. Of course you can eat it whenever, but they become the most widely available during this time every year, which varies annually because the date follows the old Chinese traditional lunar calendar (the 5th day of the 8th month). In the olden days, the head of the household (generally speaking, the oldest person) is suppose to cut each individual mooncake into pieces so that each family member gets one. In my house, I usually cut the mooncake because I’m the oldest child.

Mooncakes are traditionally made into circular shapes, but in the contemporary world, mooncakes of various other shapes (i.e. square) have sprung up. Most mooncakes have a design/pattern stamped onto the surface, often symbolizing good will and fortune. There are three classic fillings: 蓮蓉 (lían róng, or lotus seed paste), 豆沙, (dòu shā, or red bean paste), and 五仁 (wǔ rén, or five-kernel, which consists of five different seeds and/or nuts). My personal favorite is the lotus seed paste filled with two duck egg yolks. This might sound like a weird combination, but the duck egg yolk has been completely cooked and slightly hardened, which allows the mooncake to be sweet and savory- absolutely delicious and rich. I grew up eating this special mooncake every year, so this particular flavor means a lot to me. I highly recommend trying the lotus paste with duck egg yolk mooncake when the next Mid-Autumn Festival comes around, or you can try making your own. Here is a recipe I found that makes for authentic Chinese (lotus seed paste with duck egg yolk) mooncakes ~! Please note that the recipe calls for certain goods that can mainly be found in Asian grocery stores. A mooncake mold is also needed (can be bought off Amazon or in some Asian grocery stores).

Lotus Seed Paste Mooncake

Five-Kernel Mooncake

Red Bean Paste with Egg Yolk Mooncake

Read More