Delicious and Non-Greasy Yunnan Ham Mooncakes (with Video)
Yunnan ham mooncakes are made by cutting the best part of Xuanwei ham into small pieces, adding winter honey, lard, sugar, and other ingredients to form a filling, then wrapping it in purple wheat flour from Chenggong County's outskirts in Kunming, and baking it. Its appearance is brownish-yellow and slightly firm. It is crisp yet not crumbly when eaten, earning it the nickname 'hard-shell ham cake.' It tastes crisp, fragrant, and sweet with a touch of saltiness, rich in ham flavor. It is a must-have treat for Yunnan people during the Mid-Autumn Festival.
Ingredients
Steps
Filling preparation (Steps 1-9) To prepare the cooked flour, take 110g of low-gluten flour in a flat-bottomed pan, dry fry on low heat until the flour turns light yellow and emits a fragrant aroma.
Slice the ham thinly, soak in cold water for 30 minutes to remove excess salt. Remove and steam in boiling water for 20 minutes until cooked.
Dice the steamed ham slices into pieces the size of soybeans.
Mix honey into the diced ham, cover with cling film, and refrigerate for half a day to allow the ham to fully absorb the honey flavor.
Take out the refrigerated filling, add sugar, powdered sugar, and lard.
Mix all the ingredients thoroughly by hand.
Add the cooked flour and mix by hand until well combined.
The prepared filling should look like this. (If the temperature is above 15°C, refrigerate the filling for 30 minutes until firm enough to form into balls.)
Divide the filling into 25g portions and roll each into a ball. Refrigerate in summer.
Skin preparation method (Steps 10-16) Mix honey and powdered sugar using a rubber spatula until it forms a paste.
Add lard and sugar, and continue stirring with the spatula until well combined.
Sift the all-purpose flour and baking powder together, then add to the mixture from Step 10.
Mix by hand until the lard and flour are evenly distributed into fine particles.
Add water in three parts. Mix the flour and water after each addition before adding more.
Knead the dough by hand until fully mixed into a uniform mass.
Knead the dough further on a board until the surface is smooth. Cover with cling film and let it rest for 30 minutes; refrigerate during summer.
Divide the dough into 25g portions and roll into small balls.
Flatten each ball and roll it with a rolling pin into a round shell with thickness in the middle and thinner edges.
Place a filling ball on the dough shell.
Using the thumb and index finger of your left hand (near the junction of the thumb and palm), wrap the dough around the filling while lightly pressing the filling with your right hand.
Seal the opening tightly.
Place the sealed side down to form the mooncake base.
Place the formed mooncakes, sealed side down, on a baking sheet with spaces in between.
Preheat the oven to 180°C. On the middle rack, bake at 180°C top/bottom heat for 22-25 minutes, until the mooncakes are golden brown. Let cool before removing.