Snowskin Mooncakes Part 2: Making the Dough and the Cakes (Cach Lam Vo Banh)

This is Part 2 of the recipe for making Snowskin Mooncakes (Banh Deo), must-have cakes for the Mid-Autumn Festival.  Last week I posted Snowskin Mooncakes Part 1 which shares the recipes for the Simple Syrup and Taro Root filling.  These delicious mooncakes come in a wide variety of fillings from sweet to savory and traditional to trendy.  The taro root is one of my favorite fillings but there are plenty of other scrumptious options.  So, if there’s another filling you enjoy, by all means, substitute that filling for the taro root.  You can also refer to my earlier Mooncake posts for a Lotus Seed filling and a Red Bean filling.

Notes on the Recipe, Tips and Tricks

Please note you must use roasted or cooked glutinous rice flour.  There are no substitutes for this unique flour.  As this flour is already cooked, no additional cooking is required.  Using glutinous rice flour will not work in this recipe and you will have raw dough that should not be eaten.  The roasted/cooked glutinous rice brand is typically sold right next to the rice flours and glutinous rice flours.  If may be labeled “Cooked Glutinous Rice Flour”, “Roast(ed) Glutinous Rice Flour” or “Glutinous-Fried Rice Flour”.  It has a distinct roasted rice aroma and taste, unlike raw rice flour.  Some of the brands that are available are in the US are:  Coconut Tree, (brand I use in this recipe) and Fortuna.  I use to be able to buy the Cock brand but haven’t been able to find it the markets in recent years.  This brand was my favorite.  (Update:  A special thanks to Amy (who in the comments below) shared with me the store carrying the Cock brand:  AA Marketplace, 13220 Harbor Blvd, Garden Grove, CA 92843.  It’s a really awesome Asian grocery store with tons of products.)

This dough is quite sticky.  When working with it, make sure there’s a thin layer of the cooked glutinous rice flour between the dough and your hands.  Work the dough gently with your hands and avoid squashing your fingers in the dough or they will be incredibly sticky.

The texture and consistency of the dough varies with the brand of cooked glutinous rice flour used.  You’ll need to experiment  to achieve the same dough consistency I showed in the video.  You may have to add more cooked glutinous rice flour or even cut back so sift in the flour gradually.

As you need to use a good amount of the flour in the recipe and then to knead the dough, I recommend sifting an entire package of the flour.  That way it’s ready to go and you don’t have to sift each time the flour is needed.

I do not add oil to my dough.  If the dough is extremely sticky and adding flour leaves it really dry, add 1 Tbsp of vegetable oil and knead it for 1-2 minutes.

If you enjoy the pomelo essence that’s commonly added to these cakes, add about 1/2 teaspoon while kneading the dough.  Go easy on pomelo essence as the fragrance can be overpowering and too much can make the cake bitter.

The below recipe yields approximately 2 pounds or 907 grams of dough.  You can make 9-200 gram cakes having 100 grams of dough and 100 grams of filling per cake.

When all the cakes are made, place them in a cake dish/pan, cover and let rest overnight.  Enjoy these delicious cakes the next day and you’ll be pleased to find the cakes are softer and sweeter after they’ve had time to rest.  The mooncakes can be left unrefrigerated for about 2 days.  After that time, cover and refrigerate.  Allow to warm to room temperature before serving or warm in the microwave on Low power.

Watch the video for instructions.

2 3/4 cups Simple Syrup
1 3/4 cups roasted/cooked glutinous rice flour + 2/3 cup for rolling, dusting the molds
Taro Root filling (or your choice of filling)

Directions

Pour the simple syrup into a large bowl.  Sift 1/2 cup cooked glutinous rice flour into the simple syrup and stir quickly.  Repeat the process 2 more times making sure to stir vigorously for at least 1 minute with the addition of each 1/2 cup of cooked glutinous rice flour.  Add the remaining 1/4 cup flour and combine well.  Note the dough will be quite thick and sticky.  Let the dough rest on the counter for 30 minutes.

Cover the work surface with a 1/4 cup of sifted cooked glutinous rice flour.  Transfer the dough to the work surface.  Sprinkle the dough with another layer of sifted cooked glutinous rice flour.  Gently roll the dough in the flour coating it well.   Roll the dough into a log.  Fold over the ends and then roll again.  Repeat this process 3 times.  Gently knead the dough a few times.  Do not overwork the dough.  This process should take about 5 minutes.

Cut off a golf ball-sized amount of the dough.  Roll into a ball and allow to rest on the work surface for 5 minutes.  If the ball does not flatten or lose its shape, it’s good and you can continue to making the cakes.  If the ball flattens or loses its shape, add more flour and incorporate into the dough.  Perform the ball test again.

Dust the mooncake molds with the sifted flour and then remove the excess amounts by inverting the mold and tapping it gently with our fingers.

Cut a piece of dough and weigh it to make sure it’s the needed size.  Shaped the dough into a small patty.  Place the filling ball in the center of the dough and then wrap the dough around the filling.  Pinch the dough together to seal.  Gently roll the ball between your palms to smooth out the dough.

Please the cake ball into the mooncake mold with the seams facing upward.  Using your palm, gently press the cake into the molds.  Use your fingers to push the dough to the edges of the mold making sure to fill it completely.

Flip the mold over.  Remove the lid and then tap the sides of the mold to remove the cake.

Dust off the excess flour using a pastry brush and transfer to a plate using an small offet spatula.  These cakes are delicate so move them with care.

Yields: 2 lbs dough, number of cakes varies depending on size of the mooncake molds