Mocha Mooncake

150g golden syrup

75g butter

1 tsp instant coffee granules

½ tsp alkaline water

1 tsp coffee paste

225g plain flour

25g cocoa powder

½ tsp bicarbonate of soda

Filling

500g lotus seed paste

350g chocolate lotus paste

50g sultanas

50g chocolate chips

Glaze (lightly beaten)

1 egg yolk

1 tbsp water

Pinch of salt

Combine golden syrup and butter in a small saucepan over a very low and gentle heat. Once the butter dissolves in the golden syrup, take saucepan off the heat. Put instant coffee granules in a fine sieve and use a metal spoon to break up the granules into the hot syrup. Stir well to mix. Leave to cool, then add coffee paste and alkaline water to mix.

Sift flour, cocoa powder and bicarbonate of soda into the cooled coffee syrup mixture. Mix well into a smooth dough. (Do not knead.) Leave aside to rest for 2-3 hours. Divide dough into portions of 40-45g each.

Roll out a portion of the dough into a thin circular piece. Put a piece of filling in the centre and wrap it round. Make sure that the filling is completely sealed.

Lightly dust a wooden mooncake mould with flour and tap out any excess flour. Press the ball of dough into the mould.

Tap out lightly to dislodge the mooncake. Place the mooncake on a greased baking tray. Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for 10 minutes. Remove the tray from the oven to cool for 6-7 minutes. Brush with glaze and bake for a further 10 minutes.

For the filling: Roll out lotus seed paste on a piece of plastic sheet. Roll out chocolate lotus paste the same size as the lotus paste. Place the chocolate lotus paste on top of the lotus paste. Sprinkle over with sultanas and chocolate chips. Fold in half and sprinkle with another layer of sultanas and chocolate chips. Fold in half again and sprinkle with a few more sultanas and chocolate chips. Fold over again and now there will be several layers. Cut into squares and mould each square into a round ball to be used as filling.