Since we’re on the topic of Lantern festival let’s talk mooncake. There are so many types out there, with different fillings and different pastries. Back in our day (I sound like an old person 😅) we had to buy them but today loads of people (including me) make their own and even sell them.
I used to eat just two types, the traditional style with the brown pastry, and the Teochew style with flaky pastry. I liked melon seeds and salted egg in the traditional mooncake. For the Teochew mooncake I liked the one with preserved vegetables, candied mandarin, sugared melon, and sesame seeds mixed in the lotus paste.
About 14 years ago I attended a mooncake making lesson and learned to make three different types, Teochew style mooncake, mini durian puff mooncake, and Teochew flaky mooncake with yam filling. The basic lotus paste is bought, ready made, and we can add whatever ingredient we want to it.
Even though I like the Teochew style mooncake the taste is pretty intense and I can’t eat too much of it, and no one in my family likes it. I really like flaky pastry so I decided to make something that was “my own”. I say “my own” because I’ve not seen this combination sold anywhere. Lotus paste (with lots of melon seeds) wrapped in flaky pastry. The mooncakes tasted “lighter”. It was an instant hit with the family!
I started getting orders from family and clients. The popular flavours were (and still are) white lotus and red bean. Because the flaky pastry broke off easily I had to pack them individually. So I bought a plastic sealer and little plastic bags. After sealing them individually they were placed in a plastic case in a box.
Now that I’m on my zero-waste journey I feel really guilty about using the plastics but that’s the only way to keep the mooncakes in shape. Would it make any difference if I say I’m glad it’s only once a year and that I received only one small order this year? 😰
The best thing about making your own mooncakes is that you can buy the lotus paste when it’s in season, store it and make more mooncakes whenever you have a craving. And you can keep them in reusable containers! 😊
Posted from my blog with SteemPress : http://crazymum.vornix.blog/2018/09/22/homemade-mooncakes-gratitude-71/