Cute Mickey and Minnie Mooncake Biscuits

Golden syrup

1.2kg sugar

1 litre water

1 lime, quartered and squeeze out juice, discard seeds and retain pulp and skin

1 tbsp maltose (mak nga tong)

Put all ingredients, except maltose, in a heavy-based pot. Boil until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat and cook until syrup turns a light golden colour.

Turn off the heat and add maltose. Stir to dissolve and leave to cool completely.

Mooncake biscuit dough

300g superfine flour, sifted

Ingredients (A)

200g golden syrup

¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda

¾ tbsp alkaline water

50g corn oil

Filling

300g lotus seed paste

100g chicken floss

Egg glaze – (combined)

1 egg yolk

1 tsp water

Pinch of salt

A little thick soy sauce (for colour)

Combine ingredients (A) in a mixing bowl. Cover with cling film and leave aside for 5-6 hours. Add sifted superfine flour to ingredients (A) and mix into a dough. Cover with cling film and rest for several hours.

Divide dough into small portions, flatten into a disk and wrap each around a small ball of prepared filling. Lightly dust balls with flour and press into figurine moulds. Knock out moulded dough and place on greased baking trays. Bake in preheated oven at 180°C for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven. Leave to cool slightly. Brush with egg glaze and bake again for another 8-10 minutes or until golden brown.

For the filling: Wrap a little chicken floss in a small portion of lotus seed paste. Press into a small ball.

Shak Kei Ma (Egg biscuits)

Original Recipe by Amy Beh

400g high protein flour, sifted

1 tsp double action baking powder

1 tbsp milk powder

5 eggs

For the syrup

400ml water

250g malt sugar (mak nga tong)

1 tbsp white vinegar

800g castor sugar

Put sifted flour, double action baking powder, milk powder and eggs in an electric mixer. Beat until a soft and pliable dough is formed. Leave aside to rest for 30 minutes.

Roll out the dough and cut into thin strips. Loosen the strips and deep-fry in hot oil until golden brown. Remove and drain.

Bring the syrup ingredients to a simmer until the syrup thickens. To test it, drop a little syrup into a bowl of cold water. If it forms a small ball, it is ready.

Put the ready fried strips of dough into the syrup and stir well to mix, with a pair of wooden chopsticks. Pour the well-coated syrupy strips into a shallow baking tray. Press down firmly and leave aside to cool. Cut into squares and store in an airtight container.

Ginger Cookies

Original Recipe by Amy Beh

55g butter, softened

2 tbsp golden syrup

210g castor sugar

2¾ tsp ground ginger

2 tsp ground nutmeg

Pinch of salt

165g plain flour

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

¼ tsp cream of tartar

Put butter, golden syrup and sugar in a mixing bowl. Beat until mixture turns pale. Sift in flour, bicarbonate of soda and cream of tartar and add salt, ground ginger and nutmeg to mix. Stir until a soft dough is formed. Wrap in cling film and refrigerate for 15-20 minutes.

Make small cherry-sized balls of dough and place them on lightly-greased trays, well spaced.

Bake in preheated oven at 180°C for 12-14 minutes or until golden brown. Leave the cookies on the tray for 5-6 minutes before transferring them onto a wire rack to cool.

Green Pea Biscuits

Original Recipe by Amy Beh

200g green pea flour

40g flour

20g rice flour

95g icing sugar

65g roasted almond nibs, finely chopped

90g shortening

Roast the green pea flour and sift into a mixing bowl. Sift in flour, rice flour and icing sugar. Add in finely-chopped almond nibs to mix. Add shortening and mix until mixture turns crumbly.

Knead and lightly press until the dough clings together. Press a small portion into a wooden mould. Knock the mould against a tabletop to dislodge the biscuit. Arrange the biscuits on lightly-greased trays and bake in an oven preheated at 140°C-150°C for 25-30 minutes or until lightly browned on the bottom. Leave the biscuits on the tray for 5-6 minutes before placing them onto wire racks to cool.