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Black Sesame Mooncakes: A Delicious Twist for Every Occasion!
Ever thought about making mooncakes but felt like you had to wait for a special occasion? Well, I’ve got great news – you can enjoy these rich, nutty black sesame mooncakes anytime! Whether you’re celebrating the Mid-Autumn Festival (which is tomorrow, September 17, 2024 by the way!) or just looking to wow your friends at a dinner party, these mooncakes are a stunning dessert that’ll steal the show.
A Childhood Memory of Mooncakes
I still remember my first experience with mooncakes as a young child in Chicago. We had just visited Chinatown, and someone handed me a mooncake filled with red bean paste and salted egg yolk. To be honest, I still don’t eat egg yolks by themselves! I always wished for a sweeter version, and now that I’m obsessed with black sesame, I’ve created this recipe that satisfies my sweet tooth! These black sesame mooncakes are everything I dreamed of: nutty, rich, and perfectly balanced.
If you love trying different mooncake flavors, you might also enjoy my Honey Pistachio Mooncake recipe for a sweet twist on tradition.
Why Black Sesame Mooncakes?
Mooncakes are traditionally enjoyed during the Mid-Autumn Festival in Chinese culture, symbolizing togetherness and completeness – just like the full moon. But why stop there? These mooncakes are the perfect treat to bring to a dessert party, a cozy night in, or even as a sweet housewarming gift when a new neighbor moves in. Honestly, they’re so delicious, you’ll be looking for excuses to make them!
What makes these extra special? The rich, nutty flavor of black sesame combined with a soft, tender dough. This recipe uses a mix of cake flour and bread flour to create a perfectly soft mooncake that’s a little more modern and fun. Trust me, you’ll want to keep these on repeat year-round!
For more black sesame goodness, check out my Black Sesame Paste recipe and this Ultimate Black Sesame Tiramisu fusion dessert. They’re perfect companions to this mooncake recipe!
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Ingredients :
For the Black Sesame Paste (Filling):
- 1¼ cup black sesame powder (150g) – Adds that deep, nutty flavor that mooncakes are famous for. Learn more about black sesame benefits.
- 3 tablespoons honey (60g) – Provides sweetness and balance to the rich sesame.
- 6 tablespoons coconut cream (90g) – Adds creaminess and moisture for a smooth filling.
- 2 tablespoons desiccated coconut (12g) – Adds texture and a hint of coconut flavor.
- 1/4 teaspoon salt – Enhances all the flavors and balances sweetness.
For the Dough:
- 1½ cups cake flour – Helps create a tender, soft dough.
- 1½ cups bread flour – Adds structure while keeping the dough light.
- 2 tablespoons honey – Sweetens the dough just enough for balance.
- 3/4 cup vegetable oil – Keeps the dough moist and easy to work with.
- 1/4 cup water – Helps bind the dough together and adds moisture.
- Pinch of salt – Enhances the flavors in the dough.
Step-by-Step Instructions:
1. Make the Black Sesame Paste: (if you can't find black sesame powder)
If you’re using whole black sesame seeds, toast them first in a dry skillet over medium heat until fragrant (around 3-5 minutes). Grind them into a fine powder, or if you have black sesame powder already, skip to the fun part! In a bowl, mix together the black sesame powder, honey, coconut cream, desiccated coconut, and salt. Stir until smooth and set aside.
2. Prepare the Dough:
In a mixing bowl, combine the cake flour and bread flour. Stir in the honey, vegetable oil, water, and salt until a raggedy dough forms. Knead the dough until it is smooth. If it feels too sticky, add a bit more flour. The dough should be soft and easy to handle.
3. How I Form My Mooncakes:
Here’s my special method for forming the mooncakes, perfect for a softer dough like this one. Instead of shaping the dough by hand, I place the dough circle on cling wrap set on the table. Then, I put the black sesame paste ball in the center of the dough. Using the cling wrap, I gently lift the dough up and over the filling, folding each side of the dough over the black sesame paste ball.
Once it’s all wrapped up, I can lift the mooncake, roll it into a smooth sphere in my hand, and press it into a mooncake mold for that beautiful pattern.
4. Bake and Enjoy:
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Place the mooncakes on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 10 minutes. Take out and let cool for 10 minutes. Brush with egg wash. Bake for another 10 minutes until golden. Let them cool slightly before serving, and you’ve got yourself a stunning, delicious treat!
Mooncake Presses: Where to Find Them
To get those beautifully designed mooncakes, you’ll need a mooncake press! These handy tools help create the classic patterns and are super easy to use. You can find them on Amazon, and I’ve linked my favorite mooncake press here (affiliate link) so you can get started with your mooncake creations.
FAQs:
Q: Can I make the black sesame paste ahead of time?
A: Absolutely! You can prepare the paste up to three days in advance. Just store it in an airtight container in the fridge until you’re ready to use it.
Q: Can I freeze the mooncakes?
A: Yes! Mooncakes freeze well. Store them in an airtight container and they’ll keep for up to a month. Just thaw them at room temperature before serving.
Q: Can I substitute the black sesame filling?
A: Yes, you can swap out the black sesame paste for lotus seed paste, red bean paste, or even a sweet nut mixture if you prefer!
Notes:
- Adjusting Sweetness: If you prefer a slightly sweeter filling, you can add an extra tablespoon of honey to the black sesame paste.
- Dough Texture: The dough should be soft and pliable, but if it feels too sticky, add a little more flour until it’s easier to handle.
- Mooncake Molds: If you don’t have a mooncake mold, no worries! You can simply shape the mooncakes by hand and bake them without a mold.
Why Stop at Mid-Autumn Festival?
Mooncakes are traditionally eaten during the Mid-Autumn Festival, but why limit yourself? These black sesame mooncakes are perfect for:
- Dessert parties
- Bringing to a friend’s housewarming
- Gifting to a new neighbor
- Impressing guests at a dinner party
- Or just because you’re craving something delicious!
Try it Yourself
These black sesame mooncakes are a fun, flavorful twist on the traditional treat. Whether it’s your first time making mooncakes or you’re a seasoned pro, you’ll love how easy and rewarding this recipe is. Ready to impress? Head over to Thisisyu.com for the full recipe and other mouthwatering mooncake variations
Recipe
Black Sesame Mooncakes
Equipment
- 1 Frying Pan if making Black Sesame Powder from Sesame Seeds
- 1 Roll Cling Wrap for wrapping dough and mooncakes
Ingredients
For the Black Sesame Paste (Filling):
- 1¼ cup black sesame powder (150g) or toast and grind 1¼ cup black sesame seeds)
- 3 tablespoons honey (60g)
- 6 tablespoons coconut cream (90g)
- 2 tablespoons desiccated coconut (12g)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
For the Dough:
- 1½ cups cake flour
- 1½ cups bread flour
- 2 tablespoons honey (40g)
- ¾ cup vegetable oil (or other neutral oil)
- ¼ cup water
- 1 pinch salt ⅛ teaspoon
Egg Wash
- 1 small egg
- 1 tablespoon water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350℉ (175℃)
Make the Black Sesame Paste
- If using whole sesame seeds, toast them in a dry skillet over medium heat for about 3-5 minutes until fragrant.
- The seeds can burn quickly, so make sure you keep an eye on them.
- Set aside until cool to touch, then grind into a fine powder(similar to coarse sand) using a food processor.
- You do not want pieces of black sesame seeds in the powder. However, if you grind the black sesame too much, it will start to become a paste.
- In a bowl, mix the black sesame powder, honey, coconut cream, desiccated coconut, and salt until smooth.
- Using a large cookie dough scoop (2 tablespoon size) scoop out 12 even amounts and roll into balls. I use a scale, so that all the balls are an even weight and amount of black sesame filling. If you don't have a scale, just eyeball it!
- Put all the balls onto a parchment covered baking sheet and put in the refrigerator to cool, until ready to form the mooncakes.
Prepare the Dough:
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together the cake flour and bread flour.
- Add honey, vegetable oil, water, and a pinch of salt.
- Mix with a wooden spoon until a soft dough forms, but the dough is still raggedy.
- Knead the dough by hand until it's smooth. If it’s too sticky, put a small bit of flour on your hands while kneading. (see video for reference)
- Plop the dough onto a large square sheet of cling wrap.
- Form the dough into a large disc about 1 inch tall. Cover with the cling wrap.
- The dough will be very soft because of the cake flour. This yields a very tender and lovely mooncake, but may be too soft to form into balls. Put the dough into the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes so that it can firm up a bit.
- When the dough is a little more firm, cut the disc into 12 even amounts and roll into balls. I use a scale, so that all the balls are an even weight and amount of dough. If you don't have a scale, just eyeball it!
- Put the doughballs onto a parchment covered baking sheet, or if there is room on the black sesame filling sheet, place on one side of the sheet.
Form the Mooncakes: (with my special wrapping method!)
- Use the sheet of cling wrap that you used to wrap the dough, and place it on your work surface.
- Place a portion of dough on it.
- Flatten the dough into a circle with your fingers. It should be approximately 4-5 inches in diameter.
- Place a ball of black sesame paste in the center of the dough disc.
- This is where you use my special wrapping method, because the dough is so soft.
- Use the cling wrap to gently lift and fold the dough up and over the filling, on all four sides.
- Pick up the ball in your hand, pinch the dough together, sealing it at the top.
- Roll the mooncake into a smooth sphere.
- Choose a pattern for the mooncake mold, and put the sphere of dough into the mold.
- Put the mold flat on the baking sheet and press down firmly on the plunger, imprinting the pattern into the mooncake.
- It may take a few times to get the correct amount of pressure to apply.
- But, once you figure it out, it'll be a piece of (moon) cake! See what I did there?
- Lift up the press, and push the plunger, releasing the mooncake onto your hand.
- Place back on the cookie sheet on top of the parchment until you have formed all 12 mooncakes. Place them evenly on the sheet with at least 1½ inches between cakes.
Bake:
- Bake for 10 minutes, until slightly brown.
- Take out of the oven, and let cool for 10 minutes.
- Prepare an egg wash by whisking the egg and water together.
- Brush each mooncake with the egg wash, making sure you brush not only the tops but the sides also.
- Blot the top of each mooncake gently with a paper towel. If there is eggwash sitting in the crevices of the mooncake top, the pattern will deflate and not be as crisp as it currently is.
- Put the mooncakes back in the oven and bake for another 10 minutes, until golden brown. The edges will be a darker brown, and the pattern will have some lighter brown on it. The mooncake will continue to cook a bit after you take it out of the oven, so don't worry about it all being a deep brown.
- Let cool slightly before serving.
Notes
Notes:
- Handling Soft Dough: The dough is quite soft due to the use of cake flour, which makes it incredibly tender after baking. Using cling wrap to form the mooncakes prevents the dough from sticking to your hands and ensures the pastry holds its shape.
- Make Ahead: The black sesame paste can be made up to 3 days in advance and stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container.
- Substitutes: Feel free to substitute the black sesame filling with lotus seed or red bean paste for variety.
More Delicious Mooncakes and Black Sesame Recipes
- Honey Pistachio Mooncakes: A sweet twist on traditional mooncakes with a unique nutty filling.
- Black Sesame Paste: A rich, versatile paste perfect for filling mooncakes, cookies, or even adding to drinks.
- Ultimate Black Sesame Tiramisu: A fusion dessert that blends the bold flavors of black sesame with the creamy richness of tiramisu.
