Lotus Flower Pastry
A traditional Beijing pastry shaped like a lotus flower, featuring distinct flaky layers. Beautiful in form, with a crisp texture and a fragrant, sweet flavor.
Ingredients
Flour (divided into 75g for shortcrust dough, 75g for water dough)
150 g
Date paste filling
125 g
Cooked lard (45g for shortcrust dough, 5g for water dough)
50 g
Sugar
25 g
Peanut oil (for frying)
500 g
Water
50 g
Instructions
1
Step 1
Add 75 g of flour with 45 g of cooked lard, rub together thoroughly to form the shortcrust dough. Add the remaining flour with 5 g of cooked lard and 50 g of water, mix and knead thoroughly to form the water dough. Divide each dough into 15 portions. Wrap the shortcrust dough inside the water dough, roll out into strips with a rolling pin, roll up into dough rolls, press flat by hand, fold into thirds, and roll out into round wrappers.
2
Step 2
Divide the date paste filling into 15 portions. Place each portion into a round wrapper and enclose it. Shape into elongated rounds by hand. Use a knife to make 5 cuts on the top, each about half the depth of the body, to form raw lotus flower pastries.
3
Step 3
Set a wok on the heat, pour in the peanut oil, and heat to about 40% hot (roughly 320°F / 160°C). Lower the raw lotus flower pastries into the oil and fry gently over low heat until cooked through (do not let them brown). The layered pastry will open up petal by petal like a blooming flower. Sprinkle the sugar over the flower centers to finish.
