Teowchew Mooncake or Thousand Layers Pastry

These spiral pastries ( also know as Teowchew mooncakes) are really wonderfully flaky and so light and delicious. It might look like quiet a bit of work but if you follow the instructions carefully, they are not difficult at all. And considering how beautiful they look, people will be so impressed.

Ingredients:

For the yam filling:

• 1kg yam peeled, cut into chunks
• 150g castor sugar
• 60g butter

Method:

Steam the yam chunks at high heat until soft. While still hot, add in sugar and butter and continue to mash until the yam is creamy. Set aside to cool.

Weight 50g each and shape into a ball.

For the pastry:

Oil dough:

• 250g plain flour
• 120g shortening ( can use ghee too)
• a few drop of purple food colouring

Method:

Mix the flour and shortening together until is soft and pliable. Then add in the purple food colouring and knead untill the colour is uniform. Cover and rest the dough for about 20 minutes. If you wish to use the food processor for this, you may do so.

Water dough:

• 300g plain flour
• 25g icing sugar
• 100g shortening (or ghee)
• 115g cold water

Method:

• Mix all the ingredients together and knead until the dough is pliable and soft. Cover and rest for min 20 minutes. Again you may use the food processor for this stage.

To make flaky swirl yam mooncake:

1. Weight water dough 60g each ball and oil dough 40g each, shape the dough into ball each.
2. Flatten water dough and wrap oil dough inside.
3. Roll out into long shape and roll up like swiss roll.
4. Roll from the shorter side into long shape and roll up like swiss roll from shorter side.
5. Cut the dough into 2 portions and repeat the rest of the dough until finished.
6. Flatten the dough start from the swirl side and roll out into a round disc.
7. Flip over and wrap in yam filling and seal it tightly, seal edge facing downwards.
8. Place on baking tray and bake in preheated oven 170C /150C for fan oven for 25-30 minutes.
9. Cool well before cutting