Mix everything in a bowl except for the cooked glutinous rice flour from step 1.
Place bowl in steamer, steam for 25-30 minutes. Let it cool.
Put mixture on plastic wrap, divide into 16 pieces rolled into spheres (or desired number of mooncakes) cover with plastic wrap to prevent drying out.
For each mooncake, you should have about 15 g of the skin, and 30 g of filling.
Make 16 spheres of filling, about 30 g each.
When wrapping each mooncake, take one piece of the dough (make sure the rest of the dough pieces are still covered in plastic wrap).
Make a well in the dough sphere with one finger, put the filling in that well and carefully wrap the dough to cover the filling.
Coat the mooncake with the cooked glutinous rice flour, and then use the mold to form the mooncake shape.
Use a brush to remove excess flour.
Notes
Very important to cool the mixture in step 3.
For step 8, alternative is to roll the dough into a flat circle, but it will be difficult to wrap the dough around the filling. Making a well guarantees a thin, even layer of dough.
In a medium bowl, mix together the mochiko, 1 cup of sugar, and water until well blended. Mix in the 2 drops of vinegar to soften. Pour into a microwave-safe dish, and loosely cover with plastic.
Microwave for 2-3 minutes, mixing every 30 seconds. Remove, and let cool until cool enough to handle.
In a small bowl, combine the potato starch, 1/4 cup sugar, and salt. Turn the mochi out onto the plastic, and cut into pieces using a plastic or wooden knife. Metal knives tend to stick too much. Roll the pieces in the potato starch mixture.
Coat the inner surface of the custard cups with unsalted butter.
Make caramel sauce:
Put the sugar and water in the pot. Heat the pot at medium heat (low heat will not work).
Let it sit until the surface becomes lightly-colored. Swirl the pot and even out the sugar liquid.
Caramelize the sugar and remove the pot from the heat.
Quickly add the hot water in 2 to 3 steps with a long-handled ladle. Tilt the pot away from you to avoid hot caramel sauce splashing and burning your hand. Swirl the pot and even out the hot caramel.
Pour the caramel evenly into the custard cups.
Crack the two eggs into a bowl. Lightly beat the egg with a balloon whisk. Don’t let the tip of the whisk leave the bottom of the bowl to avoid creating too much foam.
Add the milk and sugar in a pot. Turn on the burner. Stir with a spatula until all the sugar is dissolved.
Add the milk to the beaten egg while whisking the mixture.
Sieve the egg mixture with a fine mesh strainer. Scrape off the bottom of the strainer with a spatula. Remove any foam on the surface with a spoon. Pour the egg mixture into an easy-to-pour container.
Gently fill the custard cups with the egg mixture.
Cover each cup with aluminum foil. The foil will prevent the surface from getting dry. It will also help steam the pudding evenly.
Heat water in a pan and gently place the cups in it. The kitchen towel will soften the heat at the bottom. There should be enough hot water to cover the bottom half of the cups. Put the lid on.
Keep the water temperature just below the boiling point and steam the pudding for 18 to 20 minutes.
Do not bring the water to boil otherwise the smooth texture of the pudding will be lost.
Put kitchen gloves on and remove the custard cups. When they become cool, store them in the fridge.
Let’s serve the custard pudding. Scrape the side of the cup with the tip of a knife. Tap the cup on a kitchen towel and make a space around the pudding. Serve the pudding on a plate.
Combine egg yolks and sugar in the top of a double boiler, over boiling water using a whisk to mix. Reduce heat to low, and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring constantly with a wire whisk.
Remove from the heat and continue to whip yolks until thick and lemon-colored. Allow to cool briefly.
Add room temperature mascarpone to whipped yolks, mix until well combined.
In a separate bowl, using an electric mixer whip cream to stiff peaks (do this slowly, beginning whipping on low).
Gently fold the whipped cream in the mascarpone sabayon mixture and set aside.
Mix the cold espresso with the coffee liquor and dip the ladyfingers into the mixture just long enough to get them wet, do not soak them!
Arrange the ladyfingers in the bottom of a 9-inch square baking dish.
Spoon half the mascarpone cream filling over the ladyfingers.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line two 17 x 12 inch baking sheets with baking parchment.
Place egg whites in bowl and beat on high until soft peaks start to form. Slowly add 2 tablespoons of the sugar and continue beating until stiff and glossy.
In another bowl beat egg yolks and remaining sugar. Whip until thick and very pale in color.
Sift flour and baking powder together.
Fold half the egg whites into the egg yolk mixture. Fold in flour, and then add the remaining egg whites.
Transfer mixture to pastry bag and pipe out onto prepared baking sheet.
Bake 8 minutes.
Notes
To make Chocolate Lady Fingers, substitute 3/4 cup all-purpose flour plus 2 tablespoons cocoa powder for the all-purpose flour.
Without a pastry bag, just spread the mixture onto a baking sheet and cut it into ladyfingers after baking; this will require a longer baking time.
flip over halfway through baking
If for tiramisu, bake at lower temperature for longer to get a drier cookie.
pastry bag with 1/2″ round tip (alternatively, cut a 1/2″ diameter tip using a plastic bag)
Ingredients
Pastry
.5 cup water
.5 cup whole milk
8 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 tsp granulated sugar
.25 tsp salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
4 eggs, room temperature
Cream Filling and Garnish
2 cups heavy whipping cream chilled
4 Tbsp granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 Tbsp powdered sugar to garnish
Instructions
Cream Puffs
Preheat oven to 425˚F. Line a baking sheet with Silpat or parchment paper.
In a saucepan, combine 1/2 cup water, 1/2 cup milk, 8 Tbsp butter, 1 tsp sugar and 1/4 tsp salt. Bring just to a boil over medium heat then remove from heat and stir in 1 cup flour all at once with a wooden spoon.
Once flour is incorporated, place back over medium heat stirring constantly for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes to release extra moisture and partially cook flour. A thin film will form on the bottom of the pan and dough will come together into a smooth ball.
Transfer dough to a large mixing bowl and beat using an electric mixer on medium speed for 1 minute to cool mixture slightly. Add 4 eggs, 1 at a time, allowing to fully incorporate between additions. Beat another minute until dough is smooth and forms a thick ribbon when pulled up.
Transfer the dough to piping bag. Pipe 28 puffs, each 1 1/2” diameter and 1/2” tall rounds. Keep them 1″ apart and avoid making peaks* but if you do get peaks, wet finger tips lightly with water and smooth them out.
Bake at 425˚F for 10 minutes in the center of the oven. Without opening oven, reduce temp to 325˚F and, bake 20-22 min longer or until golden brown on top. Transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
Whipped Cream
In a large mixing bowl, combine 2 cups heavy cream, 4 Tbsp sugar and 1 tsp vanilla extract. Beat on medium-high speed until fluffy with stiff peaks (2 min). Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a large open star tip.
Once cream puffs are completely cooled, fill them with cream. There are 2 ways to fill them: (#1) pipe the cream into the puffs by pushing the pastry tip into the side and piping until cream pushes back, or (#2) Cut off tops of puffs and pipe cream inside using a pastry bag, then cover with the tops. Dust with powdered sugar and serve.
Whisk egg yolks and sugar in a large container together.
Heat heavy cream and vanilla extract slowly close to a boil but do not let it scald.
Pour cream mixture into egg yolk and sugar mixture slowly to temper eggs, whisking constantly.
Pour mixture into ramekins. Torch surface quickly to get rid of bubbles.
Pour boiling/hot water into a baking pan, less than 25% of the level of the ramekins.
Place ramekins into water bath.
Bake for 30-40 minutes.
Refrigerate for a couple of hours before serving, ideally overnight.
Top with sugar and torch to caramelize.
Serve immediately.
Notes
Optional: mix frozen/fresh berries with cream, matcha powder Add 1 more egg yolk for firmer custard Less time baking with small ramekins 16: 15 minutes
