The scent of Osmanthus flowers and warm spices already fills the kitchen – it’s officially mooncake season! This year, I decided to tackle two mooncake recipes that felt a little different from the traditional baked varieties: crystal jelly mooncakes and pandan layer mooncakes. Both are visually stunning and promise a delightfully unique texture.

Let’s start with the crystal jelly mooncakes. These aren』t baked at all! They』re made with a base of agar-agar jelly, giving them a beautiful, translucent shimmer. The process is surprisingly therapeutic – slowly layering different flavored jellies (I went with mango, peach, and strawberry) in mooncake molds. It requires patience – each layer needs to set before adding the next – but the end result is worth it. Once fully set, they』re gently unmolded and brushed with a thin coating of neutral oil to give them a glossy shine. The filling is usually a smooth lotus seed paste or red bean paste, and I opted for a mixed fruit filling to complement the jellies. They』re incredibly refreshing, not too sweet, and a lovely change from heavier mooncakes.

Next up were the pandan layer mooncakes. These are a bit more involved, requiring some practice with making a delicate pastry dough. The key is keeping everything cool – the dough needs to be chilled frequently to prevent it from becoming too sticky. The pandan flavor is intense and wonderfully aromatic. I incorporated several thin layers of pandan-infused dough, alternating with a creamy coconut filling. Each layer is brushed with melted butter to create those beautiful, flaky strands when you cut into them. It took a few tries to get the layers perfectly even, but I learned a lot about pastry making in the process.

The final step for both? Carefully decorating them with intricate designs using edible gold dust and natural food coloring. It’s a bit fiddly, but adds such a festive touch.

I spent the afternoon with my family, sharing these mooncakes with a cup of fragrant jasmine tea. Seeing their surprised faces as they tasted the cool, refreshing jelly mooncakes and the delicately layered pandan mooncakes was the best reward. These weren』t just desserts; they were a celebration of tradition, family, and the joy of creating something special together. This year's mooncake making experience reminded me that the most important ingredient isn't always the recipe itself, but the love and care you put into it. Happy Mid-Autumn Festival everyone! 🎑