Cantonese Mooncake Wrapper (Heavy Oil, Light Alkali)
A recipe for traditional Cantonese mooncake dough made with heavy oil and light alkali, utilizing cake flour, invert syrup, specialty baking oil, and lye water.
Story
The hallmark of a perfect traditional Cantonese mooncake lies in its exquisitely soft, golden-brown crust. Mastering this classic heavy oil and light alkali dough is the secret to achieving that beautifully tender texture, ensuring the pastry wraps seamlessly around its rich filling while staying wonderfully soft for days.
Ingredients
Low-gluten flour (wet gluten content of 22%~24% is preferred)
100 portions (Formula 1 is 30 kg)
Invert syrup (concentration 76~80 degrees, pH around 4, contains around 57% invert sugar)
70 portions (Formula 1 is 21 kg)
Special oil / Peanut oil (traditionally peanut oil is used, olive oil or mooncake special oil containing emulsifiers can also be used)
30 portions (Formula 1 is 9 kg)
Lye water / Jianshui (homemade: 5 kg edible alkali + 5 kg water, filter out impurities, store for 2 days before use)
1.5 portions (Formula 1 is 450 g)
Calcium propionate (for preservation)
2.5 g/kg (optional)
Instructions
1
Prepare Ingredients
Sift the cake flour; have the invert syrup, lye water, and dedicated oil ready.
2
Knead the Dough
Mix the invert syrup, lye water, and vegetable oil evenly, then add the cake flour and stir to form a dough.
3
Rest
Let the dough rest and relax to give it good plasticity, extensibility, and moistness.
