Recipes

Irene’s Salted Caramel Stuffed Brownie Mooncakes

Irene here ????, I’m part of the creative team at Imperfect Foods! As a Taiwanese-American, my family celebrates the Mid-Autumn Festival each Fall. Mooncakes are most frequently eaten during this time, as they symbolize the beautiful full moon and the gathering of close friends and family. I personally have never acquired the taste for traditional mooncakes and don’t enjoy the lotus and egg yolk filling (though many people love it!). My Brownie Mooncakes are pretty untraditional but part of my experience as a second-generation kid is mixing cultures. So I wanted to combine my favorite American dessert (brownies) with mooncakes for a recipe that is both Taiwanese and American, just like me!

I would definitely break out the scale for these Brownie Mooncakes. The steps are not difficult but require precise measurements. Most mooncake recipes call for golden syrup and lye water, but those ingredients may be hard to find. In a pinch, I would substitute honey for golden syrup and omit lye water, but the taste will be slightly sweeter.

Makes 20 mooncakes

Ingredients

Mooncake dough

150 grams honey (or 150 grams golden syrup + ½ teaspoon lye water)
50 grams sunflower oil
220 grams all-purpose flour
Cornstarch, for dusting

Filling

1 package brownie mix (we love Renewal Mill’s which you can get at Imperfect)
1 egg
⅓ cup oil
¼ cup water
20 chocolate caramel truffles (I love Alter-Eco Salted Caramel Truffles)

Egg Wash

1 egg
1 teaspoon water

Materials

1 mooncake mold

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325℉. Grease and line a 9×9 brownie pan.
Prepare your brownie filling. (The filling can be done the night before.) In a medium bowl, combine together brownie mix, egg, oil, and water. Mix until fully combined.
Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake for 35-40 minutes. Let cool completely.
Make the mooncake dough. Mix honey and oil until incorporated. Add flour and knead briefly until combined and sticky. Cover and rest for 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 375℉.
Assemble the mooncakes. Cut the brownies into 32 pieces (you won’t need every piece). Take a piece and flatten it with your hands. Place a truffle in the middle and wrap the brownie around the truffle. Roll it around in your hands to form a smooth ball.
Divide the mooncake dough into 20 equal pieces. Each dough ball should weigh about 20 grams.
Lightly flour your work surface and rolling pin. Roll out one piece of mooncake dough to a 3 ½ inch circle. Place a brownie ball in the middle and wrap the dough around it. Pinch the edges of the dough to seal the brownie inside. Use your hands to roll the dough into an even shape. Set aside and repeat for the rest of the dough balls.
Coat the dough balls with a thin layer of cornstarch. Place the dough ball in the mooncake mold. Release mooncake from mold and place on a lined baking sheet. Repeat for the rest of the dough balls.
Bake the mooncakes for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, mix together 1 egg and 1 teaspoon water in a small bowl to make an egg wash.
Remove mooncakes from the oven and reduce temperature to 320℉. Lightly brush the mooncakes with egg wash. Place into the oven and bake for another 5 minutes.
Remove from the oven and brush with a final layer of egg wash. Bake for 10-15 minutes.
Let cool and enjoy! Store in an airtight for 2-3 days or in the refrigerator for 1-2 weeks.

Recipe Notes and Variations

If you decide to make your filling for your Brownie Mooncakes the night before, be sure to store it in an airtight container in the fridge.
Learn a little more about lye water and check out this easy recipe to make your own substitute.