Snow Skin Mooncakes

It has been more than a week since I last visited my blog. Didn't even know time passed so fast!
 
Mooncake making took up quite a bit of my time as I bought 2kg of paste this year and made 3 batches baked mooncakes (1 batch of piglets) and 3 batches snow skin mooncakes.  Now I'm not sure if I'm going to make any more moonies again next year.  Anyway, I've only enjoyed the process of making them, and not the eating process as they are so so sweet.
 
My initial plan was to blend some fresh pandan juice for the skin but I didn't have enough time (it was another mad rush this year) so I left the skin all natural ie no colours or artificial flavours added.  My friends call me a "freak" as I don't usually feed my kids with colourings and artificial flavours, especially candies/ice creams.  Of course, there are some exceptional cases ;-) 

I made these  using my jelly moulds but the imprint aint too obvious. This box went to DD1's ballet teacher, though she's not a mooncake eater like me, I've always wanted to give her something, just to show my appreciation.

When I was young, I wasn't exposed to ballet and I've always thought that ballet is for vain girls.  Through some forums and own research, I found out that the benefits of ballet includes self discipline, self confidence, develops motor skills, good posture and the list goes on.  I'm glad my girl is enjoying her lessons with MB, a young and pretty lady who's strict in her coaching.  She practises her ballet almost daily, so much so that it gets onto my nerves and I had to ask her to stop dancing!  Now my 2.5 yo dances along with her sister at home and she can even remember some of the steps her sister taught her.  Looks like another ballerina is in the making ;-)

I used the same trusted recipe but reduced sugar slightly.  The texture wasn't compromised and they are still soft when fresh from the fridge, no thawing needed.

Snow-Skin Mooncakes

Yields 18 small mooncakes

Ingredients
(A)
95g Fried Glutinous Rice Flour/Gao Fen
100g Icing Sugar
*sifted together

(B)
155ml cold water

(C)
15g Shortening

(D)
450g lotus paste
Some melon seeds, toasted (optional)

Method

1. Toast melon seeds and leave to cool.
2. Mix melon seeds with lotus paste and divide into portions of 25g each.
3. Mix Ingredients A and Ingredients B to form dough.
4. Rub in shortening till get a smooth dough.
5. Sprinkle some fried glutinous rice flour on working table.
6. Divide dough to portions of 20g each portion.
7. Wrap lotus paste with dough, roll into a ball.
8. Lightly flour the mould.
9. Place mooncake in mould , flatten, dislodge the mooncake.
10. Chill in fridge before serving.