I think the shaping and layers are far from perfect. But I love the taste so much, 20 little moon cakes gone over 2 family gatherings. The skin is so flaky it’s hard to slice, but the buttery taste is delicious. Keeping this recipe.

Recipe (20 small mooncakes)

Yam fillings

• 500g yam cut into cubes
• 80g – 100g sugar
• 100 ml water
• 20g butter
• 20g cooking oil
• 1/2 tsp salt

Skin

Water dough

• 200g plain flour
• 100g cold water
• 30g powder sugar
• 60g ghee (clarified butter or lard or vegetable shortening)

Oil dough

• 200g plain flour
• 100g ghee
• Red color or extract or powder (optional)

Method

1. Steam yam for 30 min till very soft when poke with a chop stick.

2. When yam is steamed, mash it. Add sugar and water and mix well.

3. Add salt, butter and oil into a saucepan. Sieve yam mixture into the saucepan.

4. Cook on very low heat till you have a firm paste. About 5-10 min.

5. Divide equally into 20 balls by weight and leave aside to cool.

6. Prepare water dough. Add all ingredients except ghee and mix roughly. Then add in the ghee and knead till smooth. Do not over knead. Divide into 10 balls and cover and rest 30 min.

7. Mix all ingredients of oil dough into a smooth dough. Divide into 10 balls and rest 30 min. The red coloring is optional.

8. Wrap oil dough within water dough. Repeat for all.

9. Roll out the dough into a long oval shape.

10. Swissroll down from top left corner.

11. Roll out again into a very long strip.

12. Swissroll up again. Repeat for all dough.

13. Go back to first roll. Slice down the middle with a bread knife.

14. Press down with palm gently then roll out this sliced piece into a circle shape.

15. Ensure the sliced surface is facing outwards, wrap up a yam filling. Be sure to place the centre of the spiral right on top, and pinch down the bottom.

16. Repeat for all other doughs.

15 Bake at 180 deg C for about 30 min till golden. Lower the oven temperature if you notice the layers breaking and filling bursting out.