Taro Salted Egg Yolk Shanghai Mooncake is a unique variation of the traditional mooncake, featuring a delicate, buttery biscuit crust that encases a savory-sweet filling of taro and salted egg yolk. Unlike conventional mooncakes, which often have a dense, pastry-like outer layer, the Shanghai-style mooncake is known for its lighter, crumbly biscuit crust. In this recipe, only cold butter is used to achieve the desired texture, with no margarine added. This technique ensures a rich, buttery flavor while preventing the crust from becoming too oily or heavy.
Using cold butter is crucial in creating a perfect biscuit crust for this type of mooncake. Cold butter maintains the structure of the dough, allowing for a crisp and flaky texture once baked. If the butter is too warm or softened, the dough can become greasy, and the crust may lose its firmness. The result is a beautifully golden, light, and slightly crumbly shell that contrasts delightfully with the soft, creamy filling.
Inside the mooncake, the taro filling provides a smooth and mildly sweet taste, offering a delicate balance to the boldness of the salted egg yolk. Taro, a root vegetable commonly used in Asian desserts, adds a rich, creamy texture, complementing the crumbly crust. The salted egg yolk in the center introduces a savory element, enhancing the overall flavor profile by providing a rich, umami-filled contrast to the sweet taro.
The combination of textures—from the flaky crust to the soft taro and the firm, salty egg yolk—makes this mooncake a delightful treat. Perfect for the Mid-Autumn Festival, the Taro Salted Egg Yolk Shanghai Mooncake showcases a balance of traditional and modern tastes, offering a satisfying experience in every bite.
This salted egg yolk shanghai mooncake uses the cold butter method, check out the other version shanghai mooncake recipe which uses the combination of butter and margarine for the crust.
CHINESE VERSION: 芋泥咸蛋黄上海月饼 (冷牛油版)
Taro Salted Egg Yolk Shanghai Mooncake (Cold Butter Version) | MyKitchen101en
Yields: 6 pcs (135 g each)
Ingredients:
Ingredients for taro paste filling: (Yields: about 320 g)
- 300 g taro (diced)
- 3-4 pcs pandan leaves
- 90 g plain water
- ⅛ tsp fine salt
- 110 g fine sugar
- 22 g vegetable oil
Other ingredients for filling:
- 6 pcs (17 g each) salted egg yolks (rinsed)
Ingredients for mooncake biscuit crust: (Yields: about 410 g)
- 175 g plain flour
- 25 g cornstarch
- 30 g milk powder
- 35 g icing sugar
- ¼ tsp fine salt
- 115 g cold butter (salted, diced)
- 30 g egg (lightly beaten)
Other ingredients:
- 1 egg yolk + 1 tsp of water (for egg wash)
- adequate black sesame seeds
Instructions:
For filling:
1 Steam taro with pandan leaves for 30 minutes until very soft.
2 Combine water, salt and sugar, add in steamed taro, blend until smooth. Sieve into a non-stick pan. Add in cooking oil, mix well.
3 Cook over medium heat for about 8 minutes, then reduce to medium-low heat and cook for another 8-9 minutes, until it reaches the consistency as shown in the video. Set aside to cool. (Reminder: The heat for different cookers is different, the cooking time is just for reference.)
4 Steam salted egg yolks for 5 minutes. Set aside to cool.
5 Prepare 6 portions of taro paste filling (50 g each). Shape taro paste into a bowl, fill with egg yolk, and wrap the egg yolk fully with the paste. Press until firm, then shape gently into a ball.
For mooncake biscuit crust:
1 Combine plain flour, cornstarch, milk powder, and icing sugar, and sift through. Add in salt, and mix well. Add in cold butter, and rub the butter into the flour mixture. Add in egg, and mix until combined.
2 Divide biscuit crust dough into 6 portions (68 g each).
Making Shanghai Mooncakes:
1 Flatten biscuit crust dough into a round shape with a plate, put filling at the center, and wrap filling fully with dough.
2 Arrange in a baking tray lined with non-stick baking paper, and bake in preheated oven at 180°C/355°F for 20 minutes.
3 For the egg wash: Mix egg yolk with 1 tsp of water, sieve through.
4 After baking for 20 minutes, brush the surface with egg wash and top with some black sesame seeds. (Reminder: Keep the oven preheated at 180°C/355°F.)
5 Turn the baking tray and bake again at 180°C/355°F for 5 minutes.
6 Set aside to cool completely before serving. (For storage: Put in a container with a lid and freeze for later consumption. Reheat the frozen salted egg yolk shanghai mooncake by baking at 150°C for 10 minutes and allow it to cool before serving.)
Taro Salted Egg Yolk Shanghai Mooncake (Cold Butter Version)
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Ingredients
- 300 g taro diced
- 3-4 pcs pandan leaves
- 90 g plain water
- ⅛ tsp fine salt
- 110 g fine sugar
- 22 g vegetable oil
- 6 pcs salted egg yolk 17 g each, rinsed
For mooncake biscuit crust: (Yields: about 410 g)
- 175 g plain flour
- 25 g cornstarch
- 30 g milk powder
- 35 g icing sugar
- ¼ tsp fine salt
- 115 g cold butter salted, diced
- 30 g egg lightly beaten
Other ingredient:
- 1 egg yolk + 1 tsp water (for egg wash)
- adequate black sesame seeds
Instructions
For filling:
- Steam taro with pandan leaves for 30 minutes until very soft.
- Combine water, salt and sugar, add in steamed taro, blend until smooth. Sieve into a non-stick pan. Add in cooking oil, mix well.
- Cook over medium heat for about 8 minutes, then reduce to medium-low heat and cook for another 8-9 minutes, until it reaches the consistency as shown in the video. Set aside to cool. (Reminder: The heat for different cooker is different, the cooking time is just for reference.)
- Steam salted egg yolks for 5 minutes. Set aside to cool.
- Prepare 6 portions of taro paste filling (50 g each). Shape taro paste into a bowl, fill with egg yolk, wrap the egg yolk fully with the paste. Press until firm, then shape gently into a ball.
For mooncake biscuit crust:
- Combine plain flour, cornstarch, milk powder and icing sugar, sift through. Add in salt, mix well. Add in cold butter, rub butter into flour mixture. Add in egg, mix until combined.
- Divide biscuit crust dough into 6 portions (68 g each).
Making Shanghai Mooncakes:
- Flatten biscuit crust dough into round shape with a plate, put filling at the center, wrap filling fully with dough.
- Arrange in baking tray lined with non-stick baking paper, bake in preheated oven at 180°C/355°F for 20 minutes.
- For egg wash: Mix egg yolk with 1 tsp of water, sieve through.
- After baking for 20 minutes, brush the surface with egg wash and top with some black sesame seeds. (Reminder: Keep the oven preheated at 180°C/355°F.)
- Turn the baking tray, bake again at 180°C/355°F for 5 minutes.
- Set aside to cool completely before serving. (For storage: Put in container with lid and freeze for later consumption. Reheat the freeze mooncake by baking at 150°C for 10 minutes and allow it to cool before serving.)
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Nutrition (per serving)
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What taro do you use?
I usually use Pinang taro.
My crust cracked after baked. Why is that so?
If it cracks during the first 20 minutes, then try reduce the temperature to 170°C.
TQ for your nice video..instead of taro what other paste can we use for this recipe?
You can use any paste.
Can tell 90 g plain water is how much ml? Also vegetable oil to ml please.
90 g plain water is about 90 ml, not sure for oil. You may just weigh these liquid using weighing scale, more accurate.
May I know how long can be the taro paste be kept in the fridge?
Freeze the paste, I usually use within 1 week.
Does the biscuit crust need to be rested?
No need.