Chapter 74 Reunion and Holiday
As the autumn wind began to blow, the osmanthus trees outside the window started to release their fragrance. Su Yingxue stood in the kitchen, gazing at the gradually rounding moon, thinking to herself: It's time to make some lotus seed paste and salted egg yolk mooncakes.
She took the syrup from the cupboard; the amber liquid shimmered in the bottle. She added some water, then golden peanut oil. Su Yingxue picked up a whisk and gently stirred, the syrup, water, and oil slowly blending together until smooth and even. She then added all-purpose flour and kneaded the dough by hand, which gradually became soft and elastic. After kneading, she wrapped the dough in plastic wrap and let it rest and relax.
While the dough was resting, Su Yingxue began to prepare the salted egg yolks. She washed the yolks in clean water, sprayed them with a little white wine to remove any fishy smell, and then put them in the oven at 180 degrees Celsius for 10 minutes. Soon, the aroma of egg yolks wafted from the oven, and Su Yingxue took a deep breath, full of anticipation.
She divided the lotus seed paste into small balls, then wrapped the baked egg yolk inside each ball and rolled them into rounds. Next, she divided the rested dough into small portions, rolled them into thin sheets, wrapped each sheet with lotus seed paste and egg yolk filling, and rolled them into smooth rounds.
Su Yingxue took out a mooncake mold and sprinkled some cooked flour inside to prevent sticking. She placed the wrapped mooncake ball into the mold, pressed it gently, and a mooncake with a beautiful pattern was formed. She arranged the mooncakes neatly on a baking tray and put them into the preheated oven.
Set the oven temperature to 180 degrees Celsius and bake for 5 minutes to set the shape. Su Yingxue stood by the oven, watching the mooncakes slowly change color inside, and the patterns became clearer. After 5 minutes, she put on gloves, took the mooncakes out, brushed them with egg wash, and put them back in the oven, setting the temperature to 170 degrees Celsius and baking for 15 minutes.
The oven dinged, signaling that the mooncakes were done. Su Yingxue opened the oven, and a rich aroma wafted out. The mooncakes were golden brown, with an enticing sheen. She placed them on a rack to cool before storing them in an airtight container.
With a soft "ding," the oven chimed, and Su Yingxue eagerly put on oven mitts and opened the oven door. Golden mooncakes were neatly arranged on the baking tray, their patterns becoming even clearer and more defined after the high-temperature baking, as if coated with an amber halo. She leaned closer to smell them; the sweetness of the lotus seed paste and the savory aroma of the egg yolk blended perfectly, wafting into her nostrils and making her mouth water.
"It's getting oily!" Su Yingxue murmured softly as she carefully packed the cooled mooncakes into a sealed box. Over the next three days, these mooncakes would be magically transformed; the crust would gradually become soft and oily, and the smooth lotus seed paste and the sandy texture of the egg yolk would blend perfectly. Taking a bite would feel like tasting the gentleness of the entire autumn.
On the evening of the third day, Su Yingxue specially picked out a box of mooncakes that had just finished rehydration, along with a carton of milk and health supplements for her grandmother, and set off for the health and wellness center. Pushing open the door to her grandmother's room, she saw the old woman leaning against the window, basking in the sun. Seeing her enter, her cloudy eyes immediately brightened.
"Xiaoxue's here!" Grandma's hands trembled as she took the mooncake box, her fingertips gently tracing the delicate gold foil patterns on the packaging. "Did you bring me more delicious treats?"
"Grandma, these are lotus seed paste and salted egg yolk mooncakes that I made myself." Su Yingxue helped her grandmother sit on the edge of the bed, opened the box, and the golden mooncakes were still slightly warm. "Try them, they're freshly made when the oil has seeped in, they're the most fragrant!"
Grandma broke off a piece; the lotus seed paste was so delicate it barely needed chewing, melting on the tongue with a gentle touch. The sweet, not-too-cloying bean flavor held the unique freshness of lotus seeds. When the teeth touched the whole salted egg yolk, the grainy texture exploded in the mouth, the savory flavor intertwining with the sweetness of the lotus seed paste—like a waltz for the taste buds. The oily yolk seeped into the lotus seed paste, making each bite perfectly rich without being cloying.
"Oh my!" Grandma's eyes lit up. "This taste...it's exactly the same as the ones I ate in Xiguan, Guangzhou when I was young!" She pointed to the mooncake and said, "Look at this egg yolk, it's big and golden! Nowadays, mooncakes either have very small egg yolks or are so salty they taste bitter. But this one—" She smacked her lips, "is just the right amount of salty, with a sandy texture like crab roe, and the lotus seed paste is as fine as silk, not sticky at all."
Su Yingxue held her grandmother's hand, listening to her recount stories of celebrating Mid-Autumn Festival from her childhood. Sunlight streamed through the window, bathing them both and making the patterns on the mooncake box appear even brighter. As Su Yingxue was leaving, her grandmother seemed much better, holding her hand and urging, "Don't overwork yourself, come often!"
As Su Yingxue left the nursing home, she saw her grandmother and several grandfathers sitting in the small garden, sharing her mooncakes and laughing happily. Her heart warmed, and she secretly decided that she would visit these elderly people more often in the future.
Back at "Golden Glory," the store wasn't crowded; several staff members had taken the day off. Su Yingxue placed the mooncakes on the counter, while Ye Feifei was busy checking the holiday schedule. Seeing her return, the generous proprietress immediately pulled out a large red envelope and handed it to her: "Thank you for your hard work during the Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day holidays!"
"Thank you, Sister Feifei!" Su Yingxue didn't stand on ceremony. After accepting the red envelope, her eyes suddenly lit up. "Sister Feifei, I made quite a few mooncakes. How about we have a promotion? Everyone who buys a mooncake gets one for free!"
"Great idea!" Ye Feifei readily agreed. "Consider it a little surprise for the guests. Thank you, Sister Su!"
Su Yingxue smiled and shook her head: "Sharing happiness is worse than enjoying it alone!" She counted and found that there were exactly one hundred mooncakes in the box, all of them high-quality mooncakes with just the right amount of oil returning to their original state.
At three o'clock in the afternoon, the store gradually became more and more crowded. Leng Yu and Zhao Yuxin walked in one after the other and saw the mooncake boxes on the counter. The four gold-stamped characters "Lotus Seed Paste and Egg Yolk" on the lid of the box were shining brightly under the light.
"Happy Mid-Autumn Festival!" Su Yingxue greeted her and handed her two cups of hot tea.
"Happy birthday to you all!" Leng Yu took the teacup, but her eyes were drawn to the mooncakes. "Wow, you even give mooncakes as gifts?"
"We're giving one away for every customer who comes in!" Ye Feifei explained with a smile. "It was handmade by Sister Su!"
Zhao Yuxin carefully took the mooncake. The moment her fingertips touched the warm crust, she suddenly smiled: "How did you know I'm from Guangzhou?" Pointing to the mooncake, her eyes sparkling, "This is lotus seed paste with salted egg yolk, a must-eat for me every Mid-Autumn Festival! I was planning to eat it at home today, but I got to try it early!"
She took a small bite, and the delicate lotus seed paste melted instantly in her mouth. The sweetness was just right, with the unique, elegant aroma of lotus seeds. It wasn't overly sweet, yet it perfectly complemented the savory flavor of the salted egg yolk. When her teeth touched the whole salted egg yolk, the slightly grainy texture danced on her tongue, the salty and savory flavor intertwined with the delicate sweetness of the lotus seed paste, creating a wonderful balance.
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