I wanted to make something special for Lunar New Year (year of the Dragon), so I made these mooncakes. I have had adzuki filling before, but I've never had mooncake, so I knew that however this recipe turned out, it would be somewhat of a surprise. After I made the pastry and filling and put them into the refrigerator, I watched some YouTube videos on how to make mooncake.... I realized then that this recipe would not be similar to what you would find in the bakery. I used 1/2 cup of sugar, and the filling was only slightly sweet. I used a rolling pin and a little flour to roll out the pastry. I used soymilk in place of eggwash. My husband and I enjoyed this recipe, but my kids did not care for it. *My biggest problem with this recipe is that it makes 4 times more filling than what can possibly fit into the pastry. I do not recommend this recipe for a pastry novice as the pastry is tricky to wrap around the filling balls.

The pastry falls apart the moment heat is applied, even handling it on my hand is enought to melt the pastry, it cant hold up, how am i supposed to bake it when all that happens is the pastry melts into a mould leaving the adzuki bean filling standing up.. barely a small amount clings on to the beans.

I purchased a wooden moon cake mold in a Chinatown some years ago and was happy to finally use it. I've loved mooncakes since I first tried one as a teenager. I couldn't find golden syrup locally so I made the dough with a mixture of 1/3 light corn syrup and 2/3 molasses, since this is what I had. I also substituted corn starch for the wheat starch in the bean paste. The resulting cakes are delicious. Because of the molasses, the color is much darker than authentic Chinese moon cake but the flavor is very good and they are pretty. I will look for golden syrup and try these again, but would also make again with these substitutes. Thanks for the recipe!

should be six stars. The most heavenly tasting cookie/cake I have ever eaten. The very first one I had at China Town in Boston, Ma. about 27 years ago. I have never forgotten how wonderful they are. Very expensive to buy. So, if you give one or two as a gift to a DEAR friend, you are indeed giving a little treasure. Bev