I particularly enjoy making laminated pastries. Unlike cakes that require numerous bowls and tools, or breads with long waiting times, the process of rolling and folding dough to achieve flaky layers is deeply satisfying.
This recipe yields 10 pastries: 5 red bean pastries and 5 wife cakes. To make only one type of filling, simply double the corresponding filling ingredients. Dough Ingredients: – All-purpose flour: 100g – Water: 40g – Lard: 35g – Sugar: 15g Pastry Ingredients: – Cake flour: 70g – Lard: 35g Red Bean Filling: – Red bean paste: 200g Wife Cake Filling: – Water: 45g – Butter: 15g – Sugar: 40g – Glutinous rice flour: 22g – Coconut flakes: 3g – White sesame: 3g Toppings: – White sesame (for wife cakes) – Black sesame (for red bean pastries) Instructions: 1. Prepare the dough by kneading until gluten forms. Divide into 10 equal portions, cover with plastic wrap, and rest for 20 minutes. 2. Combine pastry ingredients and divide into 10 portions. Keep covered. 3. Wrap each dough portion around a pastry portion, ensuring sealed edges. Flatten and roll into 6-7cm ovals before rolling up. Rest covered for 20 minutes. 4. Perform second rolling: flatten vertically, roll into ovals without over-stretching, then roll up again. Rest covered for 25 minutes. 5. Prepare fillings during resting periods. For coconut filling: boil water, butter and sugar. Add remaining ingredients and cook until golden. Divide into 5 portions. 6. Divide red bean paste into 5 portions (40g each). 7. Flatten dough circles, add filling, and seal using thumb and index finger. Press gently into discs. 8. For wife cakes: score surfaces before brushing with egg wash and sprinkling white sesame. For red bean pastries: use black sesame after egg wash. 9. Bake at 180°C for 25-30 minutes on middle rack. The different sesame colors help distinguish the pastries. 10. Freshly baked pastries offer delightful flavors with perfectly balanced sweetness.Wife Cake is a traditional Cantonese pastry known for its flaky crust and sweet filling.
The dessert features a delicate texture with a filling typically made from winter melon, almond paste, and sesame seeds. It is often enjoyed as a snack or dessert in Guangdong and other regions.