Golden, flaky, and filled with a molten custard core — these mooncakes are an irresistible fusion of buttery pastry and creamy salted egg yolk filling.
With a little patience and step-by-step preparation, even beginners can master this iconic Cantonese-style treat.
If you’d like to try mooncakes beyond the traditional Lotus Seed Paste with Salted Egg Yolk, you can explore my creative versions like Matcha Ice Cream Mooncakes, Chocolate Ice Cream Mooncakes, Durian Snow Skin Mooncakes, Taro Mooncakes, Oreo Mooncakes, and Snow Skin Mooncakes with Milky Pineapple Filling.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Crisp, layered pastry that melts in your mouth.
- A rich custard filling with a molten, sweet–savory core.
- Authentic Cantonese flavor with clear, beginner-friendly steps.
- Make-ahead friendly: freeze, then bake when ready.
Core Ingredients (makes 12-16 mooncakes, 50g each)
Molten Custard Core
- 2 salted egg yolks (steamed & mashed)
- 5g milk powder
- 15g heavy cream
- 15g coconut milk
- 15g butter (melted)
- 15g sugar
- Tip: Steam salted egg yolks for 8 minutes to remove raw odor. Melt butter fully so it blends well. Freeze the filling until firm before wrapping.
Custard Filling
- 2 eggs
- 50g sugar
- 20g cake flour
- 20g wheat starch (澄粉)
- 15g milk powder
- 40g coconut milk
- 40g heavy cream
- 2 salted egg yolks (steamed & mashed)
- Tip: Wheat starch makes the filling smooth — do not substitute. Always strain the mixture before cooking for a silky texture. Stir over low heat to avoid burning.
Pastry Dough
- 100g unsalted butter (softened, not melted)
- 50g powdered sugar
- 25g beaten egg
- 20g milk powder
- 115g cake flour
- 45g bread flour
- 25g wheat starch
- Tip: Butter should be soft enough to press with your finger but not melted. Mix only until a dough forms — over-kneading develops gluten and makes the crust tough.
Tools & Extras
- 50g mooncake mold
- Cooked flour or toasted glutinous rice flour (for dusting)
- Tip: Lightly oil or flour the mold for easy release. Toast flour briefly in a pan to remove raw taste before use.
Step-by-step Instructions
1. Make the molten custard core
Mash the steamed salted egg yolks into a smooth paste. For extra smoothness, press through a sieve.
Add milk powder, sugar, heavy cream, coconut milk, and melted butter. Whisk until combined into a fine paste.
Strain once, then portion into 5g pieces using small molds or by shaping into logs and cutting.
Freeze for at least 4 hours (overnight is best) until completely solid.
2. Cook the custard filling
In a bowl, whisk eggs with sugar until dissolved (no need to whip).
Add cake flour, wheat starch, and milk powder. Stir until smooth.
Pour in coconut milk and cream, mix into a thin batter, then stir in mashed salted egg yolks.
Strain once, then cook over low heat in a nonstick pan, stirring constantly until the mixture thickens into a smooth, pliable dough.
Remove from heat, shape into a ball, and cool completely to room temperature.
Divide into 15g portions. Flatten each piece into a small “bowl,” wrap one frozen custard core inside, and seal well.
Roll into balls and freeze until firm.
3. Make the pastry dough
Beat softened butter and powdered sugar on low speed until creamy.
Add egg in two additions, mixing until fully absorbed.
Stir in milk powder, then fold in the mixed flours. Use a spatula to bring the dough together — do not knead.
Divide into 23g portions, roll into balls, cover, and let rest 15 minutes.
4. Assemble & shape
Flatten a dough ball into a round, slightly thicker in the center. Dust lightly with toasted flour to prevent sticking.
Place one custard ball in the center, gently push the dough up around it, and pinch closed. Ensure the seam is sealed tightly.
Roll smooth, then place seam-side down into a mooncake mold. Press firmly to imprint the design, then release.
Place shaped mooncakes onto a lined baking tray and freeze overnight to hold their shape.
5. Bake
Preheat oven to 220°C (top heat) / 190°C (bottom heat) for at least 10 minutes.
Bake frozen mooncakes on the middle rack for about 10 minutes, until golden and patterned.
Cool on a rack. The filling will firm slightly as it cools. To restore a molten center, microwave 10 seconds before serving.
Tips & Variations
Adjusting the filling: For a creamier core, replace 5g milk powder with 10g extra cream. For a firmer core, add 5g more milk powder.
Fixing cracks: If the pastry tears, patch with a small piece of dough and seal.
Storage: Store cooled mooncakes in an airtight container. Keep at room temp for 3 days, or refrigerate up to 1 week. Reheat gently before serving.
Flavor twists: Mix 5g matcha or cocoa into the custard filling for matcha custard mooncakes or chocolate custard mooncakes.
Molten Custard Mooncakes
Ingredients
Molten Custard Core
- 2 salted egg yolks steamed & mashed
- 5 g milk powder
- 15 g heavy cream
- 15 g coconut milk
- 15 g butter melted
- 15 g sugar
- Tip: Steam salted egg yolks for 8 minutes to remove raw odor. Melt butter fully so it blends well. Freeze the filling until firm before wrapping.
Custard Filling
- 2 eggs
- 50 g sugar
- 20 g cake flour
- 20 g wheat starch 澄粉
- 15 g milk powder
- 40 g coconut milk
- 40 g heavy cream
- 2 salted egg yolks steamed & mashed
- Tip: Wheat starch makes the filling smooth — do not substitute. Always strain the mixture before cooking for a silky texture. Stir over low heat to avoid burning.
Pastry Dough
- 100 g unsalted butter softened, not melted
- 50 g powdered sugar
- 25 g beaten egg
- 20 g milk powder
- 115 g cake flour
- 45 g bread flour
- 25 g wheat starch
- Tip: Butter should be soft enough to press with your finger but not melted. Mix only until a dough forms — over-kneading develops gluten and makes the crust tough.
Tools & Extras
- 50 g mooncake mold
- Cooked flour or toasted glutinous rice flour for dusting
- Tip: Lightly oil or flour the mold for easy release. Toast flour briefly in a pan to remove raw taste before use.
Instructions
Make the molten custard core
- Mash the steamed salted egg yolks into a smooth paste. For extra smoothness, press through a sieve.
- Add milk powder, sugar, heavy cream, coconut milk, and melted butter. Whisk until combined into a fine paste.
- Strain once, then portion into 5g pieces using small molds or by shaping into logs and cutting.
- Freeze for at least 4 hours (overnight is best) until completely solid.
Cook the custard filling
- In a bowl, whisk eggs with sugar until dissolved (no need to whip).
- Add cake flour, wheat starch, and milk powder. Stir until smooth.
- Pour in coconut milk and cream, mix into a thin batter, then stir in mashed salted egg yolks.
- Strain once, then cook over low heat in a nonstick pan, stirring constantly until the mixture thickens into a smooth, pliable dough.
- Remove from heat, shape into a ball, and cool completely to room temperature.
- Divide into 15g portions. Flatten each piece into a small “bowl,” wrap one frozen custard core inside, and seal well. Roll into balls and freeze until firm.
Make the pastry dough
- Beat softened butter and powdered sugar on low speed until creamy.
- Add egg in two additions, mixing until fully absorbed.
- Stir in milk powder, then fold in the mixed flours. Use a spatula to bring the dough together — do not knead.
- Divide into 23g portions, roll into balls, cover, and let rest 15 minutes.
Assemble & shape
- Flatten a dough ball into a round, slightly thicker in the center. Dust lightly with toasted flour to prevent sticking.
- Place one custard ball in the center, gently push the dough up around it, and pinch closed. Ensure the seam is sealed tightly.
- Roll smooth, then place seam-side down into a mooncake mold. Press firmly to imprint the design, then release.
- Place shaped mooncakes onto a lined baking tray and freeze overnight to hold their shape.
Bake
- Preheat oven to 220°C (top heat) / 190°C (bottom heat) for at least 10 minutes.
- Bake frozen mooncakes on the middle rack for about 10 minutes, until golden and patterned.
- Cool on a rack. The filling will firm slightly as it cools. To restore a molten center, microwave 10 seconds before serving.
