Every holiday, there are corresponding festival-themed gift items, as the Mid-Autumn Festival approached, various "Mooncakes"were also eagerly produced, creating a rich Mid-Autumn atmosphere.Due to the differences in regional cultures,the variety ofmooncakes is diverse, such as Suzhou, Guangdong, Beijing, and Chao styles, according to the preferences of each region and individual tastes, people made different mooncake choices, but how were these beautiful and delicious mooncakes made?Today, let's start with "Suzhou-style mooncakes" to understand the making and characteristics of mooncakes.

How to make Suzhou-style mooncakes

Suzhou-style mooncakes are a traditional food in China, loved by the people of the Jiangsu region.Suzhou-style mooncakes are made withwheat flour, sugar, edible vegetable oil orlard, and water, the wheat flour and edible vegetable oil or lard are used to make the crust, the crust is then filled with the filling, shaped, and baked.Currently, Suzhou-style mooncakes have improved in terms of quality and variety, and the number of varieties has also increased, but in terms of making methods and filling and crust, they are still similar to traditional methods.Let's learn how to make them, and the key is to prepare the ingredients accurately.One, ingredients:Water and oil dough:

100g wheat flour, 30g lard, 50g warm water, 5g powdered sugar, 5g salt.

If you want to make a sweet filling, use 20g powdered sugar, and you can omit the salt;Oil paste: 100g wheat flour, 50g lard.Filling:Pork200g pork paste (3:7 fat-to-lean ratio),preserved vegetablesone piece,light soy sauce2 tablespoons, green onions,white pepper1 teaspoon, salt 1 teaspoon, sugar 1/2 teaspoon, oil 1 tablespoon, 1 egg white.Two, making method:First, thoroughly mix all the ingredients for the water and oil dough until they can be pulled into a transparent film, then place in a plastic bag and let it sit for 30 minutes.Second, mix the ingredients for the oil paste until they form a ball, then place in a plastic bag and let it sit for 30 minutes.

Chop the preserved vegetables and green onions, and add them to the pork paste along with all the seasonings, and stir constantly in one direction until it becomes firm, then refrigerate for later use.

Then, divide the water and oil dough into about 24g each, and the oil paste can be divided into about 16g-18g each, and then divide into 8 portions.After dividing, roll each portion into a ball and cover with plastic wrap to prevent drying.Take one piece of water and oil dough and flatten it in your palm, and place the oil paste on top.Fourth, use your thumb to press the oil paste and your thumb to shape it, then use a rolling pin to roll it into a "tongue" shape and roll it up.Do the same for the other 7 pieces.You can cover them with plastic wrap for 15 minutes to make it easier to work with.Sixth, you can also skip this step.I rolled them up and then directly used my hands to press them flat, and then used a rolling pin to roll them longer, and then rolled them up again.Seventh, do the same for the other 7 pieces, and then cover them with plastic wrap for 15-20 minutes.After letting it sit, take one portion, flatten it, and roll it into a dough that is slightly thicker on the outside and thinner on the sides.Eighth, place the side with the opening facing the meat, and the smooth side facing down, and fill it with 30g of filling, like packaging oil paste, and close the opening, don't likepackaging dumplingslike that.Ninth, finally, fold it and close the opening.The differences between Suzhou-style and Guangdong-style mooncakesOn the Mid-Autumn Festival, when you think of mooncakes, the most common are Suzhou and Guangdong-style mooncakes, their popularity is far greater than other types, and they also occupy a large share in the market.If you must choose one of these two, which one would you choose?After understanding the differences between them, you will naturally have an answer.Suzhou-style mooncakes.They have a crisp crust, beautiful appearance, rich filling, and a soft and crispy texture, making them the essence of Suzhou pastries.Suzhou-style mooncakes are divided into sweet, salty, and baked/steamed varieties.Sweet mooncakes are mainly baked, with varieties such as rose, fruit, pepper, and bean paste, while salty mooncakes are mainly steamed, with varieties such as ham, lard, green onions, and shrimp.

Among them, Qingdao Rose, Fine Fruit, White Pepper, and Bean Paste are considered the best Suzhou mooncakes.

Suzhou-style mooncakes use high-quality ingredients and have local characteristics.Sweet mooncake fillings are made withrose flowers,cassia bud,peach kernel,melon seed,

walnut,sesame seed,and other ingredients.Salty mooncake fillings are mainly made with ham, pork, shrimp, lard, green onions, and other ingredients.

The crust is made with wheat flour, sugar, and lard.

Guangdong-style mooncakes have a long history and are well-known, mainly because their ingredients and making techniques are very exquisite. They are characterized by thin and soft crust, shiny appearance, golden color, beautiful shape, intricate patterns, clear patterns, easy to break, and packaging is also very important. They are the perfect gift for people to give on the Mid-Autumn Festival, and they are also an indispensable part of people's Mid-Autumn Festival celebrations.Guangdong-style mooncakes are divided into sweet and salty varieties.The ingredients for mooncake fillings are very diverse, including:taro,lotus seed,peach kernel,walnut,

sesame seed,and other fruits and nuts, as well as salted ingredients such as

egg yolk,char siu,

duck,

wood ear mushrooms,ice meat,

sugarpumpkin,shrimpand other ingredients.

So, which mooncake do you prefer, Suzhou or Guangdong?No matter which one you choose, don't forget to bring it home to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival with your family!SesameAn important ingredient, hence also called "Quzhou Sesame Cakes".Major types include "Duze", "Osmanthus Flower", and "Sha Yongfeng Sesame Cakes", a century-old brand.Hui style mooncakes, with a flaky oil-based crust made from high-quality flour and vegetable oil, using vegetables (bitter board cabbage) for the filling, marinated and mixed with fresh pork lard andsugar.

Major type is "Dried Mooncake".Differences between Cantonese and Suzhou mooncakesDuring the Mid-Autumn Festival, when it comes to mooncakes, the most common ones are the Cantonese and Suzhou varieties, which have a much larger audience and occupy a larger market share.If you have to choose one between these two, which would you choose?

Perhaps after understanding the differences, you will naturally have an answer.

Suzhou mooncakes.The crust is flaky and beautiful in color, the filling is rich and not greasy, and the texture is flaky and soft, representing the essence of Suzhou pastries.Suzhou mooncakes come in sweet, savory, and baked/fried varieties.

Sweet mooncakes are primarily baked, with varieties such as rose, mixed fruit, salt-flavored, and red bean fillings. Savory mooncakes are primarily fried, with varieties such as ham and pork lard, scallion pork lard, fresh meat, andshrimp.Among them, Qing Shui Rose, refined mixed fruit, white salt-flavored, and bean paste pork lard are high-quality Suzhou mooncakes.Suzhou mooncakes use carefully selected raw materials and have local characteristics.Sweet mooncake fillings are made withroseosmanthus,walnuts,peanuts,hazelnuts,sesame seeds,pine nuts,and other ingredients. Savory mooncake fillings are primarily made with ham,pork leg,meat, shrimp, pork lard, scallions, etc.The flaky crust is made with wheat flour, sugar, honey, and oil.Cantonese mooncakes are famous and widely known, mainly because of their incredibly refined selection of ingredients and production techniques. Their characteristics include thin and soft crust, glossy appearance, golden color, beautiful shape, intricate patterns, clear textures, easy to break, careful packaging, and easy to carry. They are a good gift for the Mid-Autumn Festival and are an indispensable part of the Mid-Autumn night, when eating mooncakes and watching the moon.Cantonese mooncakes are divided into sweet and savory varieties.The selection of mooncake fillings is very broad, in addition to usingtaro,lotus seeds,

apricots,almonds, peach kernels, peanuts, hazelnuts,sesame seeds,and other fruits, it also usesegg yolks,char siu,duck,shiitake mushrooms,meat, winter melon,shrimp,rice cakes, dried citrus peel,lemon,and more than twenty other ingredients. In recent years, it has also developed into using phoenixpears,durian,bananas,and even usingabalone,sea cucumber,crocodile meat,dried scallops,and other expensive ingredients.Friends, after reading my introduction, which mooncake do you secretly love – Suzhou or Cantonese?Whether it's Suzhou or Cantonese mooncakes, don't forget to bring them home for a reunion and Mid-Autumn Festival! Happy Mid-Autumn Festival, and may you have a happy family!Durian,Bananaand other fruits, even usingabaloneOkay.shark fin,crocodile meatdried scallopsand other expensive ingredients.

Friends, after reading my introduction, did you quietly fall in love with Suzhou-style mooncakes or Cantonese-style mooncakes?Whether it's the Suzhou or Cantonese version, don't forget to bring mooncakes home to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival with your family! Happy Mid-Autumn Festival, and may you all have a happy and prosperous family!