Snowskin Mooncakes with Custard Filling

Yields about 10 mooncakes, each 50 grams.

Ingredients

Ingredients of snowskin:

• 40 g. glutinous rice flour (about 1/3 cup)
• 20 g. rice flour (about 2 1/2 Tablespoons)
• 20 g. all-purpose flour (about 2 1/2 Tablespoons)
• 35 g. caster sugar (about 3 Tablespoons)
• 160 ml milk (about 3/4 cup)
• 35 ml condensed milk (about 2 Tablespoons)
• 30 ml vegetable oil (about 1 Tablespoon)
• 1 1/2 tsp. matcha powder, (optional) if matcha-flavored mooncake is desired
• 3 Tbsp. cooked glutinous rice flour, for coating

Ingredients of filling:

• 18 gm plain flour (about 2 1/2 Tablespoons)
• 18 gm cornstarch (about 2 1/2 Tablespoons)
• 24 gm custard powder (about 2 Tablespoons)
• 2 eggs, whisked
• 18 ml condensed milk (about 1 Tablespoon)
• 135 ml water (about 1/2 cup plus 2 Tablespoons)
• 30 gm caster sugar (about 2 1/2 Tablespoons)
• 30 gm melted butter (about 2 Tablespoons)

Directions

1. To prepare filling: Stir condensed milk and sugar in water until dissolved.
2. Sift cornstarch, flour and custard power. Combine well.
3. Pour one-third of whisked egg into flour mixture and mix well. Repeat this step with the rest of the whisked egg, with small amount at a time. Pour in condensed milk mixture and melted butter, and mix enough just to incorporate all ingredients. Drain through a fine sift into a big, shallow plate.
4. Cover with foil and steam over high heat for 15 to 20 minutes, until cooked. Let cool.
5. Knead cooked custard into smooth dough. That’s the custard filling. (You might like to make the filling in advance. Keep in a freezer. Rest in room temperature for a while before using. When it turns soft and easier to cut, it can be wrapped in mooncake skin.)
6. To prepare the snowskin: Sieve all flours in a large mixing bowl. Add sugar and combine. Mix milk with condensed milk until combined. Pour into the flour mixture. Stir in vegetable oil until incorporated. Drain through a fine sieve into a large and shallow pan. Cover with foil and steam for 15 to 20 minutes over medium high heat. Let it cool down.
7. Divide the filling into 10 portions, each in 24 grams (there may be extra). Roll each into a ball.
8. Scrape out the snowskin dough. Knead in matcha powder evenly, if desired. Divide into 10 portions, each in 26 grams. With a rolling pin, roll each out portion into a disc.
9. To assemble mooncakes: Wrap the filling with the snowskin dough tightly and seal the edges. Coat with cooked glutinous rice flour. Shake away the excess. Press in a floured mooncake mould. Tap and remove it. (I use a mini plastic mold, 50 grams. Press the plunger to release the mooncake.) Store in an air-tight container covered with a kitchen paper. Chill in freezer overnight. Transfer the mooncakes into fridge for 2 hours before serving.

Notes：

• Cooked glutinous rice flour is available at Asain grocers. You can make it yourself though. Simply cook the flour in a frying pan without any oil over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. When smoke releases and the flour turns light yellow, it’s cooked. Remove from the heat and let it cool down completely. Then you can use it to coat your mooncakes.
• When steaming the snowskin and filling: if you can’t taste any raw flour, it’s done.
• By kneading the matcha powder into cooked snowskin dough, you’ll get the best flavour and colour. Yet, it needs more patience to knead in evenly.
• You might wrap in a cooked salted egg yolk if you like. Salted egg yolks are available at Asian grocers. Or you make some in advance.
• You can use other fillings for these mooncakes. I used red bean paste once :)
• The snowskin mooncakes can be stored in freezer up to a few weeks. Before serving, just transfer the mooncakes to fridge for about 3 hours, until they become soften a bit.

Recipe(s) adapted from: http://en.christinesrecipes.com/

Teriyaki Salmon

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 2 Tablesoons mirin
• 2 Tablespoons sake
• 1 Tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 1/2 lbs. salmon fillets

Directions

1. Stir together soy sauce, mirin, sake, and brown sugar until sugar is mostly dissolved. Marinade the salmon in the teriyaki sauce for about 30 minutes in a 13x9-inch baking pan.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cover the salmon (still sitting in the teriyaki sauce) with foil and bake for about 20-25 minutes, or until light pink but not overcooked. (While it bakes, occasionally baste the tops of the salmon fillets with the teriyaki sauce in the pan.)
3. Garnish with chopped scallions and serve.

Soba Salad

Ingredients

• 6-9 oz (2-3 bundles) soba (buckwheat noodles)
• 1/2 cup green onions/scallions
• 3 Tbsp. sesame seeds

For dressing

• 1 Tbsp. canola or grapeseed oil
• 3 Tbsp. sesame oil
• 1/2 tsp. crushed red peppers
• 3 Tbsp. honey
• 3 Tbsp. soy sauce

Directions

1. To make the dressing, combine canola/grapeseed oil, sesame oil and crushed red peppers in a small microwave-safe bowl and microwave for 3 minutes. Set aside to let it cool a bit; be careful while handling as it'll get very hot.
2. Combine the honey and soy sauce in another small bowl and add the oil mixture. Whisk all together until honey is completely dissolved.
3. Bring water to a boil and cook the soba noodles according to the package instructions, but keep it al dente. Drain into a colander and rinse the soba under cold running water. Drain well and transfer to a large bowl.
4. Combine the soba, dressing, green onion, and sesame seeds, and toss everything together. Transfer to a serving bowl or plate. Serve chilled or at room temperature.