Wife Cake (老婆饼)

老婆饼

Wife Cake (老婆饼) — a Cantonese Dim Sum Chinese recipe made with Low-protein flour, ready in about 50 minutes. Step-by-step instructions with photos.

Ingredients

• Low-protein flour (cake flour)
• Winter melon paste (冬瓜蓉)
• White sugar
• Lard or shortening
• Water
• White sesame seeds
• Egg yolk (for wash)

Instructions

1. Make dough: mix flour, lard, water. Knead until smooth. Rest 30 minutes covered. (Dough should be soft, like earlobe, not stiff)
2. Prepare filling: if winter melon paste is dry, warm with sugar and 10ml water until spreadable.
3. Divide dough into 8 pieces. Roll each into circle. Place filling, wrap like dumpling, seal well. (Seam must be completely sealed — any crack = leaking during baking)
4. Place seam-side down. Brush with water, press sesame seeds on top. Make 3 shallow slashes on top. (Slashes should be shallow — deep cuts will leak filling)
5. Brush with egg yolk. Bake at 180°C (350°F) for 20-22 minutes until golden.