Beijing Eight Pieces

Name: Beijing Eight Pieces
Prep time: 4 h
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 4 h 45 min
Ingredients: 8 kg (dough skin) + 15 kg (shortcrust) Strong flour; 1 kg (dough skin) + 7.5 kg (shortcrust) + 0.75 kg (pepper-salt filling) Lard; 0.5 kg (dough skin) + 0.75 kg (pepper-salt filling) Powdered sugar; 4.5 to 4.8 kg Warm water (30–50°C); 1 kg Dusting flour; various Assorted fillings (eight varieties: hawthorn, rose, grape, green plum, sugar, red bean paste, date paste, pepper-salt); about 0.1 kg per filling Crushed walnuts; about 0.05 kg per filling Melon seeds; 10 g Sichuan pepper powder; 30 g Fine salt

A signature Beijing-style pastry originating from the imperial court, consisting of eight flaky pastries in different shapes and fillings that represent blessings like good fortune, prosperity, longevity, and happiness.

4h 45m

Easy

0 favorites

Ingredients

Strong flour 8 kg (dough skin) + 15 kg (shortcrust)

Lard 1 kg (dough skin) + 7.5 kg (shortcrust) + 0.75 kg (pepper-salt filling)

Powdered sugar 0.5 kg (dough skin) + 0.75 kg (pepper-salt filling)

Warm water (30–50°C) 4.5 to 4.8 kg

Dusting flour 1 kg

Assorted fillings (eight varieties: hawthorn, rose, grape, green plum, sugar, red bean paste, date paste, pepper-salt) various

Crushed walnuts about 0.1 kg per filling

Melon seeds about 0.05 kg per filling

Sichuan pepper powder 10 g

Fine salt 30 g

Instructions

Mix the Water Dough

Sift the flour, add the lard and water (30–50°C), stir together, then incorporate into the flour and knead to a smooth, elastic dough with a soft yet firm texture. Divide into portions, cover with a cloth, and rest for 20 minutes before rolling out the dough skins.

Mix the Oil Dough

Sift the flour, add the lard, and knead until evenly combined to form an oil-shortcrust dough with a firmness similar to the water dough. Divide into portions and set aside.

Wrap the Shortcrust

Use the prepared dough skins to enclose the oil-shortcrust dough, then roll out into round wrappers.

Prepare the Fillings

Mix the filling ingredients evenly. Crush the nuts, dice the dried fruits, and toast then grind the sesame seeds.

Fill and Shape

Portion at 24 pieces per kg of finished product. The dough-to-filling ratio is 5.5 : 4.5. Shape each filling into its own distinctive form so the eight varieties are clearly distinguishable: hawthorn filling into a peach shape; rose filling rolled into a round, flattened disc with a red stamp; grape filling rolled into a round, flattened disc with a red stamp; red bean paste filling rolled into a round, flattened disc with a red stamp; green plum filling into an apricot shape; sugar filling pressed into moulds to show a decorative pattern; date paste filling shaped into a lotus leaf; pepper-salt filling rolled into a rectangle.

Bake

Place the raw pastries on baking trays and load into the oven. Bake at 170–190°C for 10–15 minutes, until the surface turns milky white and the base becomes golden brown. Remove from the oven, cool, then pack. When packing, place one sheet of paper between each layer of pastries, and ensure every box contains all eight varieties.