Mooncakes are traditionally enjoyed during the Chinese and Vietnamese Mid-Autumn Festival, when families gather to give thanks for the harvest and pray for longevity and good fortune. Making and sharing mooncakes is one of the hallmark of this festival (some even call it the Mooncake Festival!). In Chinese culture, a round shape symbolizes completeness and reunion, and sharing the round pastries with relatives signifies the unity of families. The pastries are made of a tender dough stuffed with a sweet filling -- often lotus seed paste or red bean paste. The top of each mooncake has an intricate design, achieved by pressing the pastry into a mold; traditional molds are shaped like wooden paddles, modern presses are spring-loaded and made of plastic. Bakeries stamp their mooncakes with their own designs; flowers, vines and moons are common. Every family has its favorite version of the pastry, based on passed-down recipes or where they like to buy the cakes. Our take is filled with white lotus paste, made by boiling and pureeing dried lotus seeds that you then cook with caramelized sugar. To set the beautiful stamped design, we bake the mooncakes for 10 minutes before brushing them with egg wash (the key to their glossy finish).
