Mooncake, Bánh Trung Thu, from Ăn Chưa? 

"In Vietnam, the Mid-Autumn Festival is called Tết Trung Thu, also known as the 'Mooncake Festival' or 'Children's Festival.' Tết Trung Thu falls on the fifteenth day of the eighth lunar month, when the moon is at its fullest and brightest during the year. The full moon symbolizes unity, prosperity, and family reunions. It is the only time of year when mooncakes are eaten in celebration of the harvest. These elegant mooncakes are embossed with intricate designs. The square and round shapes of the mooncakes represent the earth and the sky."

- Julie Mai Tran

Welcome to our kitchen! It never ceases to amaze me what we can accomplish with black-eyed peas. Vietnamese mooncakes are traditionally made with mung beans. However, we've found that black-eyed peas make an excellent substitute with these elegant sweets.

Grab a free illustrated recipe at the bottom and try it out for yourself.

Learn more about cooking with kids.

If you like these Vietnamese mooncakes, try kala, hoppin' john, the perfect cup of chai, Afro-Asian-American gumbo, vegetarian gumbo, and stove-popped popcorn.

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• Mooncake, Bánh Trung Thu, from Ăn Chưa?

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Ăn Chưa?

This mooncake recipe comes from Ăn Chưa?: Simple Vietnamese Recipes That Taste Like Home by Julie Mai Tran.

Inside, Julie shares more about the Mid-Autumn Festival or Tết Trung Thu:

The festival coincides with the end of the autumn harvest and marks a joyous time when families can take a break from work and spend time with children and loved ones. On this night, families gather in the lively streets and watch lion-dance performances while eating mooncakes and drinking hot tea under the full moon.

If you enjoy making creative holiday desserts, try the sugar skulls, thumbprint cookies, putizza, and red velvet ice cream sandwiches.

How to Make Mooncakes

Ingredients

• beans - this recipe calls for dried split mung beans. We found that black-eyed peas make an excellent substitute if you don't have mung beans
• water
• salt
• cornstarch
• sugar - we like to use Truvia or stevia but use what works for you
• vanilla extract
• oil - grab any neutral cooking oil
• egg - you'll need 2 egg yolks and store-bought cooked, salted egg yolks are an optional ingredient for the filling
• honey - you can also use dark corn syrup for the dough
• peanut butter - this recipe calls for creamy peanut butter for the perfect mooncakes
• flour - any all-purpose flour will work. We like Jovial's einkorn flour
• sesame oil
• milk

Equipment

• Apron
• Prep Bowls
• Spoon
• Measuring Cup 
• Kitchen Scale
• Measuring Spoons
• Saucier
• Immersion Blender
• Silicone Baking Mat
• Strainer
• Tea Towel
• Basting Brush
• Parchment Paper
• Sheet Pan
• Mooncake Molds

Cook the Beans

Wash your hands with soap and water. Soak the beans for 4 hours to overnight.

Wash your hands and transfer the beans to a large pan. Turn the stove to medium-high heat. Add the fresh water and salt. Cover with a lid.

Bring the liquid to a boil and skim off the bubbles. Turn the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes or until the beans are tender. Turn off the stove.

Puree the Bean Mixture

Use an immersion blender to puree the mixture until smooth. Add the cornstarch and water to a small bowl and stir to form a slurry. Add the sugar, vanilla, and cornstarch slurry to the pan with the bean mixture and cook over low heat. Periodically add 2 tbs of the oil and fold into the paste to prevent the beans from burning.

Cook for 30 minutes or until it has thickened and can hold its shape. Turn off the stove, cover the filling, and refrigerate for 15 minutes or overnight.

Make the Dough

Add the honey, oil, peanut butter, vanilla, and raw egg yolk to a small bowl. Add the flour and mix. When finished the dough should be moist, slightly sticky, and easy to shape. Roll the dough into a ball, cover it with plastic or a tea towel, and let it rest for 30 minutes.

Form the Mooncake

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Divide the filling into eight portions. Form each portion into a ball. If using the salted egg yolk, use your thumb to press down the filling in the center before inserting the egg yolk. Set it aside and move on to the dough.

Shape the dough into a tight ball using both palms. Spray the molds with cooking spray. Divide the dough into 8 portions and roll each into a small ball.

Roll out each dough ball into a disk and lay one in the palm of your hand. Place a bean ball in the center and tightly wrap the dough around it. Lightly dust the top and place it in the mooncake mold. Press it gently to fill any empty corners.

Flip it over and use the handle to push the mooncake out onto a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Repeat until all the dough and filling is used.

Bake the Mooncake

Bake the mooncakes for 13 minutes. While they are baking, prepare the egg mixture for brushing. Combine the egg yolk, sesame oil, milk, and honey.

Remove the mooncakes from the oven and spray with a mist of water. Let them cool for 10 minutes. Use a pastry brush to apply the egg mixture and return them to the oven.

Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and spray them. Let them cool for 10 minutes. Brush with the egg mixture and return to the oven.

Bake for 5 minutes or until golden brown. Bake for an additional 5 minutes. Turn off the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Serve

Julie says the color will deepen and the flavors will develop over the next couple days. To store, wrap them in plastic wrap and place in the fridge. Let them reach room temperature before serving.

Free Mooncake Recipe for Pre-Readers & Up