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Tuesday, October 11, 2011

LouPorPeang, Wife's biscuit


 

This pastry snack is only called by its Cantonese name.  Translate its name to any dialect and it will still not be quite the same. Had it not been for my Cantonese husband, I would never have known its existence.  As if by genetic memory, my pseudo Cantonese daughter loves this, despite my lukewarm attitude to it ( being Teochew, I only cared about TauSarPiah ! )

But with the exam grind getting to her, I thought it would bring much cheer to surprise her with this, after a grueling day of geography and biology papers. Making it is no walk in the park, this being my first attempt, though the pastry procedure bear similarities to that of making Shanghai moon cake.

Perhaps it was the work of my labor, but I wasn't even comparing it to Hong Kong's Hung Heong's LouPorPeang. There is something very seductive about sinking your teeth in fresh, warm LouPorPeang with its still oozy winter melon filling. The experience is indescribable.

Thanks to this talented lady at mykitchensnippets.com , I am able to look at LouPorPeang with renewed favor.

Makes 14.

Ingredients :
Water dough -
140g  flour
21g caster sugar
53g  shortening
65ml water

Oil dough-
70g cake flour
33g shortening

Filling -
200g candied winter melon cubes
3 tbsp roasted white sesame seeds
40g cooked glutinous rice flour (goufen)
Pinch  of fine salt
1/2 teaspoon vegetable oil
55ml water

Egg wash, sesame seeds, untoasted

Method :
To prepare the water dough, put all the ingredients in a food processor, except water. Pulse to cut shortening into flour.

Pour water in a steady stream, processor pulsing, until the dough comes into a ball. Remove dough.

Knead on a lightly floured surface until dough is elastic, non sticky and pliable. Set aside for 30 minutes, so full moisture absorption and gluten formation to take place.

To make oil dough , pulse ingredients for oil dough in the processor until crumbly. Transfer crumbly mixture to a worktop and knead until it becomes  a ball.

For both oil and water dough, divide into 14 portions equally.

Meanwhile, mix filling ingredients until it comes together. It will be easier to work with oiled hands.

Divide into 14 equal portions.

On an oiled worktop, flatten the water dough into a disc. Place the oil dough in the center of the water dough-disc. Encase.

This will be your combined dough. Set aside to rest the dough.

Repeat this for the remaining 13 portions of oil and water dough.

To make a flaky pastry dough, place combined dough on an oiled worktop.

With a rolling pin,GENTLY  elongate the dough, working from the middle.

Roll up the dough to form a tight cigar roll.

Turn roll 90 degrees.

Again, with a rolling pin, GENTLY  elongate the dough, working from the middle.

Roll up the dough to form a tight cigar roll.

Bring up the 2 ends of the roll together, pinch them and flatten with your palm.

Gently roll out a disc.

Encase filling with the flattened combined dough.

Turn pastry, smooth , pretty  side facing up.

Flatten with oiled palm, gently, until the size of your palm.

Transfer to an oiled baking tray.

Repeat the rolling and wrapping for the remaining 13 portions.

Brush pastry with egg wash. Sprinkle sesame seeds. Do the same for the rest of the pastry.

Preheat oven to 200 C.

Bake for 17 minutes, until pastry turns golden brown.

Remove from the oven, rest 5 minutes and transfer pastry to a cookie rack.

Cool thoroughly before devouring / storing in an airtight container.



7 comments:

  1. Oh~~~I like this so much~~~share me some!! Haha...

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  2. Your lou por peang looks really good, with all the flaky layers! Great job for a first attempt. I dont care for such pastries, not even tau sar piah, but my elder son and hubby love these. Some day, I will try make some for them ;)

    btw, maybe can change the name to 'ma-mee peang'...since they are made with love from a wonderful mum!

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  3. HHB, a honor to get your compliments. There will come to a stage as a mum we eat what hubby and kids like so that we can cut down on the hassle of cooking for different tastes. Ah! the reality of life..

    蓝色小厨, sigh, no leftovers because they are gone all too soon...

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  4. wowow Your lou por peang look great!!!! the flaky skin makes me drool.....

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  5. Cuisine Paradise,
    Thanks for dropping by ! They seriously flake. I insist my girl eat with a plate ;-)

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  6. I first saw it at Corner Cafe, bookmarked but never attempt to make it. Looks like a tedious process.

    I love this but never thought of making it myself. I've not had this for a long time, I guess since I left work? Hmm.. that was like 4 years ago!

    The skin looks so flakey! Love it this way!

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  7. Blessed Homemaker,
    You should give it a try. The process can be quite therapeutic.

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