Baked Chocolate Mooncakes 巧克力月饼 ~ 2014

Baked Chocolate Mooncakes seem to be 'The' mooncake this year and after looking at all the other blogposts by fellow bloggers, the temptation is just too great to resist.  So here are my Chocolate Moonies!  I'm also taking the opportunity here to wish all my readers and friends a very Happy Mid-Autumn Festival.  Do have a wonderful time and enjoy the day with your family, loved ones and friends! 

 Recipe for Baked Chocolate Mooncakes   (adapted from 'here')


Ingredients

• 113 gm plain flour                                                                  
• 18 gm Valrhona cocoa powder
• 85 ml golden syrup
• 25 ml peanut/vegetable oil
• 1/2 tsp alkaline water
• 480 gm lotus paste
• 20 gm lightly toasted melon seeds

Method

1. Mix golden syrup, oil and alkaline water with a ball whisk thoroughly till the oil is fully incorporated.
2. Sift plain flour, cocoa powder in a bowl.  Make a well in the centre and pour in the syrup mixture.  Using a spatula, mix well to form a soft dough.  Cover with cling wrap and let rest for 30 mins.
3. Divide dough into 12 portions of 30 gm each.  Roll into a ball.
4. Mix the melon seeds into the lotus paste and divide into 12 portions of 40 gm each.  Roll into a ball. 
5. Flatten a ball of dough,  Put in a ball of lotus paste, wrap it up, roll into a ball.
6. Lightly dust a (75 gm) plunger mould with flour and firmly press in the ball of dough.  Press out the mooncake and place on a parchment lined baking sheet.
7. Bake in a preheated oven @ 170 deg.C for 10 mins.  Remove the mooncakes from the oven and let cool for 15 mins.  Return the mooncakes into the oven and bake again for 10 to 15 mins.
8. Transfer the mooncakes onto a wire rack to cool completely.  Store them in an air-tight container.
9. Yield :  12 mooncakes

Note :  These mooncakes can be eaten on the day they're baked or you can choose to let the skin 'mellow' and turn softer after keeping them for 3 to 4 days in an airtight container.