Chapter 90, Inn No. 90: Water Chestnut Cake and Egg Yolk Pastry
The inn was about to host a happy occasion, and Yunyin was very concerned. She thought that if the two of them got married, they would definitely need a place to stay, and staying at the inn was not a good idea. Besides, they couldn't possibly get married at the inn.
Although she didn't mind, she still thought it best to hold such an important event as the wedding at home, and Zhang Lin and the others probably thought the same way.
Zheng Guilan at least has a house in Letao Village, but Zhang Lin has nothing. The money he has was given to him by Yunyin, and he probably hasn't saved much money.
Yunyin thought about the future care of the people in the inn. Feng Hai would definitely continue to work at her inn. She had already discussed this with him and also mentioned it to Fu Wang, who had no objections.
Since they're working for her, she'll definitely have to take care of their retirement. The inn's rooms are still too cramped. She has the money Lu Xuan gave her, so she can build a row of houses in the backyard for Feng Hai and the others to live in.
Yunyin had originally planned to build a row of houses in the backyard as guest rooms, but after Cheng Yong reminded her, she changed it to a guest courtyard and built it on the left side of the inn. The previously selected area was then vacant, and she could build it into staff dormitories for them to live in.
She had originally planned to build the pond between the backyard and the fish and shrimp farm, but now it seemed she could change the location. She looked around at the fields in front of her and the large area between the private room. She could dig the pond closer to the fields, so that the paddy fields could be connected to the pond, then to the fish and shrimp farm, and finally to the irrigation canal. The water in this area would then be flowing water.
Since she had built houses for all the employees, she naturally wanted to build a courtyard for herself as well. Yunyin stood at the spot she had chosen. Next to her was an inn, and in front of her was a large open space with private rooms in front of it. After thinking for a while, she decided to build a garden between her courtyard and the private rooms so that she could use the flowers that Xia Yan had given her.
Guests who come here can also enjoy the scenery, and the private rooms won't be bare and lack elegance. Those discerning students can also come often. In order to make money from their pockets, she has thought about it very seriously.
As for the courtyard where she lives, a bamboo grove can be planted between it and the pond, which would be a good place to escape the summer heat.
Of course, a pavilion could also be built by the pond. These trivial matters can be discussed with Qian Si when the construction is underway. The previous magistrate has been dismissed, and it is unknown whether he still has time to help her build the house.
She had great faith in Qian Si's craftsmanship. Whether it was the completed inn or the newly built private rooms and courtyard, each was unique and stylish. Even the thatched hut built in the middle of the house complemented it perfectly, blending harmoniously with the inn and courtyard. He was indeed a skilled and experienced craftsman.
Thinking of this, Yunyin returned to the kitchen, intending to make more pastries to give to her friends and also to Qian Si and the others. The winter solstice was approaching, and she needed to prepare these things in advance.
Several girls who were still wiping the table saw Yunyin, and the eldest one of them said, "Miss Yun, what do you need? We can help you."
She had only been there a few days, but because she was wearing a thick cotton-padded coat, her little face was flushed and her complexion had improved a lot. Even her eyes had a bit of light in them, making her look more lively.
Yunyin looked at the girl and asked, "Is your name Daya?"
Daya nodded eagerly, "Yes, my lady." After thinking for a long time, she finally remembered and said to Yunyin, "Lady Yun, could you give us names?"
Yunyin remained silent for a while, then shook her head and said, "Although I bought you, you all have your own surnames, and I have no intention of changing that. As for your names..." Seeing that Daya was a little sad, she comforted her with a smile and said, "You can name yourselves. This is your expectation for yourselves, and it can be considered a new life."
Daya's eyes lit up when she heard this, and she asked cautiously, "Can we name them ourselves?"
Yunyin nodded and said, "Of course."
Da Ya and the others hadn't read many books and didn't know much, but she had her own understanding. She opened her eyes wide and said, "Then I want to call it Sugar Cubes."
Upon hearing the name, Yunyin's lips twitched. She asked curiously, "Why did you want to be named this?"
The girl who named herself Fangtang (Sugar Cube) said, "Because my wife's candied hawthorns are so delicious. I've never eaten sugar before, and this is the first time I've known that sugar tastes like this. I love it so much, and I want to be called that."
Yunyin's twitching lips straightened, and she patted Fangtang's head, saying, "This name is very good." She looked at the other girls and asked with a smile, "What do you want to be called?"
The other girl looked at Fang Tang, then at Yun Yin, and timidly asked, "Miss Yun, may I be called Fang Yun?" Although she was hesitant, she still mustered her courage and said, "Thank you for saving us, Miss Yun. I would like to use your surname as my name, is that alright?"
Yunyin's heart was warmed by her kindness, and she patted Fang Yun's head and nodded, saying, "Of course."
Seeing this, the other girls said with long faces, "We also want to use Lady Yun's surname."
Yunyin patted their shoulders and said, "It doesn't have to be my surname. You can use whatever you like as your name."
The remaining girls pondered for a while, and finally one of them spoke up: "Then I'll be called Fang Meng. This all feels like a dream, and I hope I'll never wake up."
Several girls with the surname Fang had already chosen their names. The remaining three girls, who did not have the surname Fang, waited until the Fang girls had chosen their names before one of them said, "Then I'll be called Liu Yu (Willow Fish). I like the fish that Lady Yun makes."
The two remaining girls, both surnamed Sun, looked at each other and said, "My name is Sun Lian. I like the lotus seed cakes made by Lady Yun."
"My name is Sun Xue." She noticed that several people were staring at her, and even Yun Niangzi was looking over. She stammered, "Although we suffered from this heavy snow and were sold by our families, I am really happy to be here with Yun Niangzi." She knew that she would be sold by her family sooner or later, if not today, then in the future. Being able to come to Yun Niangzi's place was a stroke of good luck.
Looking into her calm eyes, Yunyin sighed and said nothing more. She then called to the children, "Now that you all have names, you are reborn." Looking at the group of children and thinking of the pastries she would make for the Winter Solstice, she said to them, "Come and help me wash the horseshoes."
Yunyin brought out a large bag of water chestnuts from the warehouse. She had Zhang Lin buy them in the county after the snow stopped. Water chestnuts are also called water caltrops and are widely cultivated in Dazhao. She bought a lot of them.
Water chestnuts can be used in many ways, whether in desserts or soups. Some people also eat them as fruit. In modern times, I have also eaten raw water chestnuts, which are indeed sweet, crunchy and delicious.
However, water chestnuts are aquatic plants, and these kinds of plants are prone to parasites. In modern times, it would be fine to eat them because of advanced medical technology, but in the Da Zhao era, it was safer to eat them cooked.
Yunyin plans to make water chestnut cake this time. It's easy to make and tastes great. Water chestnuts release a unique fragrance when heated, and it tastes very refreshing. Water chestnut cake made from ground water chestnut powder is smooth and chewy, unlike glutinous rice balls which are soft and sticky. The added water chestnut pieces also make the water chestnut cake crisper.
Water chestnuts are delicious, but cleaning them is quite troublesome. They grow in mud, and even if the seller has cleaned the mud off them, there is still a lot of mud on them.
Yunyin took several leaves and handed them to the little girls, and together they washed them around several wooden basins.
The water in the basin wasn't cold; even in the frigid winter, it felt warm to the touch, thanks to the well water that was warm in winter and cool in summer.
It's safe to say that digging this well in Yunyin was extremely worthwhile. Not only can it be used to chill fruit in the summer, but it's also very convenient for washing vegetables and dishes in the winter, eliminating the need to waste firewood to boil water. The water drawn from the well is warm enough to wash water chestnuts without feeling icy cold at all.
Yunyin and several girls used several buckets of water to wash the water chestnuts clean. After washing them, they took them out to dry in the sun, and used the remaining muddy water to water the fields.
Besides making water chestnut cake, Yunyin also planned to make egg yolk pastry, which she could make herself without anyone else's help. Fu Wang walked in from outside and saw that she had already washed the water chestnuts. He sighed and said, "Yunyin, you can ask me for help if you need anything. I just came from the front and saw that you had already finished your work."
Yunyin glanced at him, raised an eyebrow and said, "You've got plenty of work to do. How about you grind the horse hooves into a paste for me later?"
Fu Wang glanced at the several baskets of horseshoes laid out outside, smiled, and said, "Sure, I'll call Ma Hao and the others, and we'll definitely get everything you need."
Yunyin hummed in agreement and headed towards the cellar. Seeing this, Fu Wang quickly followed, saying, "Just tell me what you need to do, and I can help."
"I've been eating and living at your place these past few days, so I should at least help you with some chores." I can't let people say he's a freeloader.
Yunyin stopped and looked back at him. "The snow has stopped, aren't you going back?"
Fu Wang shook his head and said, "I don't need to go back. Cheng Yong will leave in a couple of days. As for me, I don't plan to leave in the future."
His gaze was intense, fixed on Yunyin without blinking. Yunyin felt a burning sensation from his gaze and pursed her lips, saying, "Whatever. Even if you help me with the work, I won't pay you."
Fu Wang laughed and said, "No wages needed, I'm doing this voluntarily." He looked at the place ahead and raised an eyebrow, "What do you need to move from the cellar? I'll help you."
Yunyin: "Then could you help me bring up two jars of salted eggs? I'm planning to make some egg yolk pastries."
Fu Wang: "Okay, you wait upstairs, I'll help you carry it up."
Yunyin watched as he moved nimbly, opening the cellar entrance in a few quick movements. "Do you know where it is?"
Fu Wang took out a tinderbox from his pocket and said as he walked, "I know you put words on the jar. I'll go down and look for it."
Before Yunyin could finish speaking, Fu Wang had already disappeared at the cellar entrance. Not long after, he came out carrying a jar, put it on the ground, and said, "There's another jar. I'll go get more."
Yunyin squatted down, carried the jar of salted eggs to the kitchen, and called to Fu Wang before leaving, "Bring them to the kitchen later."
Fu Wang replied loudly from below, "I understand."
Back in the kitchen, Yunyin immediately took out the jar of salted eggs, washed them, removed the yolks, and kept the remaining egg whites to knead dough. Of course, they could also be used to make wonton filling with meat, without even needing to add salt. Anyway, there was always a way to use them, and not a single bit would be wasted.
She poured the remaining salted egg yolk whites into wine to remove the fishy smell, then placed them on a baking tray and baked them in the oven for a short while, while she continued to make the dough for the egg yolk pastries.
The method is similar to making shortbread-type pastries before: add water to flour until it forms clumps, then add lard and sugar to make the dough, and then make the oil-based pastry.
The oil-based dough is made by kneading lard and flour into a ball, and set aside in the same way as the water-based dough.
In addition to the salted egg yolk at the very center, the filling also includes red bean paste, which is indispensable. Yunyin makes some red bean paste every now and then to keep on hand, and often uses it to make desserts.
She took the preserved red bean paste from the kitchen shelf, took a large piece and rolled it into small balls the size of glutinous rice balls.
By this time, the baked salted egg yolks have cooled down, and the dough has been left to rest for a while before it can be used to make egg yolk pastries.
The most important aspect of making egg yolk pastry is not the filling, but how to make it flaky. Having oil dough and oil pastry is not enough; you also need to divide the two dough balls into portions of various sizes, roll them into balls larger than red bean paste balls, and then wrap the oil pastry in the oil dough.
Yunyin sprinkled some flour on the work surface, pressed the wrapped dough ball onto the work surface, rolled it into an oval shape with a rolling pin, then rolled it up from top to bottom and set it aside to rest.
After all the dough is wrapped with oil paste, rolled out and rolled up, roll it out and roll it up a second time. This process is repeated to ensure that the baked egg yolk pastry will become flaky.
Next comes wrapping the filling. She first wraps the salted egg yolk with red bean paste, then presses a dent in the middle of the rolled dough with her finger, folds the two ends of the dough towards the middle, and flattens it into a round cake.
Then use a rolling pin to roll the round dough into a thin skin that is thicker in the middle and thinner at the edges. Wrap the prepared filling inside, pinch the edges closed, and place it on a baking tray with the filling facing down.
Finally, brush the round dough with egg yolk liquid, and after the egg yolk liquid dries, brush on another layer of egg yolk liquid. This will make the egg yolk pastry look better after baking. After sprinkling with black sesame seeds, Yunyin put these egg yolk pastries into the oven to bake.
There were many egg yolk pastries to make, and she naturally couldn't finish them all by herself. She planned to ask Feng Hai for help, but Fu Wang saw this and said, "Ayin, let me help you."
Yunyin stopped what she was doing and asked in surprise, "Weren't you going to grind horseshoes into paste? Besides, someone without experience definitely won't be able to do it skillfully. I'm going to give it away as a gift." Seeing that Fu Wang's expression was a little down, she thought for a moment and then said, "I'll teach you how to make it after you finish grinding the horseshoes. We can keep some for ourselves then."
Fu Wang looked at her with sparkling eyes upon hearing this, "Then it's settled. I'll go grind now, and I'll help you make pastries later." He didn't necessarily want to learn how to make pastries; he just wanted to spend more time with Yun Yin, and even just making desserts in the kitchen would make him happy.
Yunyin nodded and said, "Okay, you go quickly, and while you're at it, call Feng Hai over for me. I'll have him help me with this."
The egg yolk pastries were quickly made. At this time, Fu Wang and the others had finished grinding the water chestnut paste. Yun Yin looked at the bucket full of paste and nodded in satisfaction, saying, "Okay, let it sit overnight. We'll save the water chestnut cake for tomorrow."
She said to Fu Wang, "Let's go, I'll take you to make egg yolk pastries."
She had already made the egg yolk pastries needed for the gift, and they were already packed in boxes and placed in the cupboard. She could take them out to give away after the water chestnut cake was made tomorrow.
She made the remaining egg yolk pastries for herself, and since Fu Wang also wanted to learn how to make them, she decided to teach him how, as it wasn't too difficult.
Fu Wang washed his hands and followed Yun Yin into the kitchen. He rarely came to the kitchen, except to help serve dishes or move things. It was really inconvenient for him to come in normally.
After the snow disaster, the weather cleared up, and people in the surrounding area started traveling between the two places again. Although no one came to stay overnight, people still came to eat occasionally. Ah Yin was too busy. She was either busy cooking or trying out various dishes on weekdays. She hardly had any free time like during the snowy days.
He wanted to talk to her, but he was worried about disturbing her. He only brought it up after consulting with Cheng Yong. Although Cheng Yong's wife had passed away early and he had no children, he was still more experienced than them, a group of bachelors.
Fu Wang took the blouse from Yun Yin and followed her instructions to learn how to make an egg yolk pastry.
He looked at Yunyin, who was so close to him. Even though she couldn't speak, he felt at ease just watching her busy herself. He also felt a surge of pride as he watched the egg yolk pastry taking shape in his hands.
No wonder Ah Yin loves cooking. She was so happy just to make a simple egg yolk pastry. I can only imagine how happy she must be when she makes a delicious dish. When she hears praise from others, she probably can't hide the smile on her face.
Fu Wang looked at Yun Yin and said, "A-Yin, would you like to try the egg yolk pastry I made later?"
Yunyin stopped what she was doing, turned around and looked at him, "Why don't you try what you made yourself? This is your first time making desserts, isn't it?"
Fu Wang looked at the round egg yolk pastry in his hand, put it down and let Yun Yin spread egg yolk on it. He then sprinkled a layer of sesame seeds on it and nodded, saying, "I've done roast meat and cooking before, but this is the first time I've made pastries."
He looked up at Yunyin and said, "I still want you to try the first dessert I made."
Although Yunyin didn't quite understand, she still agreed, "Okay, I'll try yours when it's done baking." She had prepared all the fillings, and to be honest, she didn't think there was anything different about them. However, she didn't want to refuse, lest he look dejected again. She wasn't used to Fu Wang being like this; she preferred his energetic appearance, which made him look like a chivalrous knight-errant from a martial arts novel. Every time she saw him, she felt happy.
She put the finished egg yolk pastries back into the oven to rest, while Fu Wang helped tidy up in the kitchen. When Yun Yin returned, the kitchen had been cleaned up. She raised an eyebrow and said, "Are you tired? Come and have some sweet soup."
"Would you like glutinous rice balls or red bean porridge?"
The glutinous rice balls were filled with sesame. She cooked them with rice wine, and they tasted even better. Inside each ball was a red date that had soaked up all the broth. The bright red and white balls bobbed up and down, looking quite beautiful.
"Have a bowl of glutinous rice balls," Fu Wang said, handing her two large bowls. "Aren't you going to make one for yourself?"
Yunyin took the two bowls. "Of course I have to try them. These are rice wine dumplings, which I really like."
Fu Wang raised an eyebrow and said, "So you like rice wine dumplings." He took the bowl and took a sip of rice wine. It was soft, sweet, and fragrant, with a mild but refreshing aroma. The sweet and glutinous taste was indeed very delicious. He took a bite of a dumpling, and the sesame seeds inside instantly dripped down, staining the white spoon with black. The black and white blended together. He quickly ate the dumpling, and the soft and chewy texture captivated him.
He nodded and said, "It really is delicious."
The two of them hid in the kitchen and finished eating a large bowl of glutinous rice balls. When Cheng Yong came in, he saw them like this and raised his eyebrows, saying, "What are you doing? What good stuff are you sneaking to eat?"
Yunyin got up, put down her bowl, coughed, and said, "It's nothing. There's some in the pot if you want to eat it."
Cheng Yong looked at the rice wine dumplings in the pot and said, "Okay, I'll come and try a bowl in a bit." He called out to Fu Wang, "Come over here, I need to talk to you."
After Fu Wang and Cheng Yong left, Yunyin called Zheng Guilan over and pointed to the rice wine dumplings in the pot, saying, "Have everyone try a bowl. I just cooked these rice wine dumplings." Thinking of the other children, she pointed to the red bean porridge in another pot and said, "Children shouldn't eat rice wine dumplings. They should drink red bean porridge instead. I'll add some sugar for them later. It tastes just as good as the dumplings."
Zheng Guilan replied, "Okay, I'll call them over."
After everyone finished eating the glutinous rice balls and red bean porridge, the egg yolk pastries in Yunyin's oven were also ready. She distributed the freshly baked egg yolk pastries to everyone, saying, "You should also try my new pastries. There aren't many, so each of you can have one to taste."
Fu Wang took the egg yolk pastry from Yun Yin's hand and looked at it to make sure it was the one he had made. Only then did he feel relieved and accept the egg yolk pastry that belonged to him, and began to examine it carefully.
Freshly baked egg yolk pastries have a golden and crispy crust. When you break off a piece, you can clearly hear a "crunch". As soon as you open it, you can smell a fragrance. The salted egg yolk is slightly oozing oil, just like the oil flowing from a salted duck egg, which makes it look even more appetizing.
He took a bite of the egg yolk pastry, and the crispness of the crust combined with the soft and smooth red bean paste, along with the salted egg yolk filling, created a wonderful symphony of sweet and salty, crisp and soft textures.
Fu Wang couldn't help but praise, "It's really delicious, and the texture is different from the silver thread candy I've had before."
Silver thread candy is crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, melting in your mouth. It's very fluffy, like clouds melting in your mouth. Egg yolk pastry, on the other hand, combines crispness and softness, with a harmonious blend of salty and sweet flavors, offering a different experience from the pure sweetness of silver thread candy.
Whether it was the silver thread candy from before or the egg yolk pastry now, Fu Wang felt that the pastries Yun Yin made were all the best he had ever tasted. He kept praising her, "You really deserve to open a pastry shop. Your pastry-making skills are also superb."
Hearing this, the others also praised, "Yes, whether it's cooking or making desserts, Yun Niangzi's dishes are all delicious. I'm looking forward to tomorrow's water chestnut cake. I wonder what it will taste like. I'm sure it won't be any worse than today's egg yolk pastry."
After finishing the egg yolk pastry in his hand, Zhang Lin asked, "Miss Yun, should we add this egg yolk pastry to the menu?"
Yunyin looked at the sign hanging behind the counter, thought for a moment, and said, "You can hang it up. This egg yolk pastry is simple to make, the ingredients are not hard to obtain, and it can be made all year round." She had just forgotten about this dessert. She only remembered that there was such a dessert in Guangdong when she was planning to make water chestnut cake. She would only remember it during the Mid-Autumn Festival. Actually, it can also be made during the Mid-Autumn Festival.
But it doesn't matter now that I think about it. Since water chestnuts are in season now, I can add these two desserts to the menu. I can also make more water chestnut flour so that I can continue to make water chestnut cakes after winter.
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