PROSCIUTTO AND DATES SU-STYLE MOONCAKE

PROSCIUTTO AND DATES SU-STYLE MOONCAKE

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DECEIVINGLY EASY…

IT WILL SHATTER YOUR DOUBT-SYSTEM AS THE LAYERS CRACK LIKE THE WINGS OF BUTTERFLIES AND FALL ON YOUR JAW-DROPPED COUNTERTOP

– XOXO

OK, I know that mooncakes are generally sweet and not savoury (like the ones on https://www.emicakes.com.sg/mooncake-delivery-singapore for example, which look amazing) but I have decided to mix things up a bit here and BOY am I glad that I did. I don’t have much time today to elaborate much, in fact, not even enough time to say what I’m about to say but I gotta say it anyways because it’s just too damn important which is – PLEASE, don’t let the intimidating display of these lacy, delicate, flakey pastry filled mooncakes with salty prosciutto and sweet dates and honey… fool you. They are deceivingly easy, forgiving even, and I got them down with smashing success right at the first try (I’ve had more tears shed on making pancakes, let me just tell you that). This waffer-thin layered dough actually DOES NOT require any chilling (even though I still gave them a 30-min nap in the fridge just because I was insecure), believe it or not, and it will shatter your doubt-system as the layers crack like the wings of butterflies and falls on your jaw-dropped countertop. And then the filling… oh my god I don’t even have time to talk about this filling but I gotta say it anyways because it’s just too damn good! Part-crispy and part-fresh prosciuttos, mashed with finely minced dates and honey with a dash of black rum. It is the most fruitful reward you can expect out of the eternal conflict between salty and sweet. And then, these two things together… these two buttery, lacy, porky, salty, sweet things together! I don’t have time for this! Do you get me?! Just go do it and believe.

– XOXO.

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I copied/pasted the instructions below to correspond with the photos so it’s easier to understand, but serious, you’ll probably have something great at the first try, then nail it at the second, tops. There’s also another su-style mooncake variation by Betty on Food52. Check it out.

 

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Combine cake flour, water, unsalted butter and sugar in a large bowl, and mix it with your hands until it comes into a dough.

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Transfer to a working surface and knead for a couple min until the dough is smooth and soft. Divide the dough into 12 equal portions, then set aside to rest.

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Meanwhile, combine cake flour and unsalted butter in the same bowl for the oil-dough.

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Knead the oil-dough inside the bowl (because it’s harder to work with on a flat surface) until it’s smooth and soft.

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Transfer to a working surface and divide into 12 equal portions.

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Take 1 portion of the water-dough and flatten it down with your hands. Press the edge down so it’s thinner than the centre.

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Place 1 portion of oil-dough in the middle, then bring the edges of the water-dough up and wrap the oil-dough inside.

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You’ll notice where the water-doughs gather at the top is thicker, making the top and bottom of the water-dough both thicker than the edges.

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Now, press the whole thing down into an oval shaped disk.

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Roll the dough out in one direction only, moving from the centre upward and then downward, rolling the dough into a long and very thin oval shape, about 1/16″ (2 mm) thick only. The thickness should feel like a flour-tortilla. THIN.

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Then roll it from one end to the other into a log, then tuck each ends underneath.

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Repeat with the rest. Place them on a tray and plastic-wrap thoroughly, then chill in the fridge while you make the filling.

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Divide the finely minced prosciutto in 1/2. Cook 1/2 of the prosciutto in a skillet over medium-high heat, until they’re crispy and slightly browned.

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Drain well on a paper-towel, then transfer to a bowl along with the rest of the minced prosciutto, finely minced dates, honey, dark rum and sea salt. Mix evenly with hands or fork until completely integrated, then divide into 12 equal portions.

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Preheat the oven on 400 F/200 C. Take the doughs out of the fridge. Place 1 portion of the dough (which looks like a rectangle from above) with the seam-side down, and facing you horizontally.

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Press it down with your hands, then roll it out upward and downward into a 3/16″ (5 mm) thick disk.

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Place 1 portion of the filling in the centre, then bring the edges of the dough up and wrap the filling inside. Gather the doughs at the top then pinch off the excess dough.

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Shape each mooncake as round as you can, then press them down gently with something flat so they have a flat top. Now, you can write/paint/stamp whatever you like on top of the mooncakes with red food-dye.

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Bake the mooncakes with 2″ (5 cm) space in between, in the preheated oven for 20 min until the bottom is browned (the top of the mooncakes will remain blond).

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