Raspberry Snow Skin Mooncake

Method

1. Custard

   To make the custard, whisk the custard powder, sugar, eggs and milk in a small saucepan until combined. Place over medium heat and cook, whisking continuously for 3-4 minutes or until the mixture boils, thickens and pulls away from the side of the pan. It will be very thick. (If small lumps have formed in the custard, pass the mixture through a fine sieve to remove them.) Transfer the custard to a small bowl and cover the surface with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until cold. Set aside 10 of the raspberries for the mooncake filling.

2. Snow Skin

   To make the snow skin, mash the remaining raspberries with a fork until pulpy. Strain with a fine sieve, discarding the seeds. Whisk the flours, sugar and milk in a small heatproof bowl. Stir 1 tablespoon of the sieved raspberry puree into the milk mixture (reserving the remainder for decorating the mooncakes, if you like). Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and cook, covered, in a steamer basket set over simmering water, for 20 minutes or until the centre is firm. Remove the bowl from the steamer and add the oil. Whisk the mixture as best you can – not all the oil will be absorbed at this point. Set aside to cool completely. When cool, knead the dough until the oil is completely absorbed. Divide the snow skin dough into 10 equal portions (about 25g each). Dust your hands lightly with extra cornflour to stop the mixture sticking and roll the dough into smooth balls.

3. Filling

   Fill the holes in the raspberries you set aside carefully with a little of the cooled custard. Divide the remaining custard into tablespoon amounts (about 20g). With damp hands to stop it sticking, roll the custard into balls then flatten out the balls and mould the custard around the raspberries to make smooth balls filled with a raspberry each. Refrigerate to cool and firm the custard balls if necessary.

4. Assembling

   To enclose the custard filling, flatten out a ball of snow skin using a pinching action to form a disk. Place a custard ball on top and enclose it, stretching and pinching the dough gently. Roll in your hands until smooth. Dust very lightly with cornflour and insert gently into the mooncake mould. Press the mould onto the bench, depressing the plunger gently to form the mooncake. Lift the mould off the bench and press the plunger fully to release the mooncake. Dust off any excess cornflour with a pastry brush and place on a serving plate.

5. Serving

   Repeat with remaining custard and snow skin. To decorate the mooncakes further, if you like, lightly brush them with the remaining raspberry puree, for a ‘watercolour’ effect. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours before serving. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. TIP: Glutinous rice flour and fine rice flour are available at Asian grocery stores. Mooncake moulds are available online, or in some Asian grocery stores.