Dan huang su (egg yolk pastry)
Salted egg yolk pastry
蛋黃酥: flaky butter pastry around red bean paste and a whole roasted salted duck egg yolk
TaiwaneseDan huang su is Taiwan's favourite Mid-Autumn pastry, given in gift boxes across the island in the weeks before the festival. The whole golden yolk hidden in the centre stands for the full moon, and the round, glossy pastries look like little moons themselves when you share them at the family reunion. Under a shell of dozens of flaky layers sits sweet red bean paste and a salty, rich, slightly crumbly duck egg yolk. Bakeries traditionally use lard in the pastry; this version uses butter, so it is vegetarian. Serve with oolong tea under the moon, cut in half to show the yolk. Chef's tip: roast the salted yolks first until they look oily and set, which takes away any eggy smell and gives the best flavour.
- Total time
- 150 min
- Difficulty
- hard
- Serves
- 12
Ingredients
For the filling
- 12 salted duck egg yolksready-made, from Chinese grocers
- 12 ½ oz sweet red bean paste
- 1 tsp neutral oil
For the water dough
- 5 ½ oz plain flour
- 1 ⅝ oz unsalted buttersoftened
- ½ oz icing sugar
- ¼ cup water
For the oil dough
- 4 oz cake flouror plain flour
- 2 ⅛ oz unsalted buttersoftened
For the glaze
- 1 egg yolkbeaten with 1 tsp water
- 1 tbsp black sesame seeds
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Method
0/11 doneStep 1: Heat the oven to 350°F (325°F fan). Lay 12 salted duck egg yolks on a lined tray, brush with 1 tsp neutral oil and roast for 8 minutes, until they look shiny and oily, the edges bubble slightly and they feel firm. Cool completely.
12 minStep 2: Divide 12 ½ oz sweet red bean paste into 12 balls of 30 g. Flatten each into a disc, put a cold yolk in the middle and wrap the paste around it, rolling into a smooth ball. Chill while you make the pastry.
15 minStep 3: Mix 5 ½ oz plain flour, 1 ⅝ oz unsalted butter, ½ oz icing sugar and ¼ cup water and knead for 5 minutes into a soft, smooth dough that stretches without tearing. Cover and rest for 20 minutes.
25 minStep 4: Rub 4 oz cake flour and 2 ⅛ oz unsalted butter together until they form a soft, even paste like play dough. Cover.
5 minStep 5: Divide the water dough into 12 pieces (about 22 g) and the oil dough into 12 pieces (about 15 g). Flatten a piece of water dough, set a ball of oil dough on it and wrap it up, pinching to seal. Repeat with all of them.
10 minStep 6: Roll each ball into a long tongue shape, then roll it up from the short end like a Swiss roll. Cover and rest for 15 minutes.
20 minStep 7: Turn each roll on its end, press flat, roll into a tongue again and roll up once more. Cover and rest for another 15 minutes. Common mistake: pressing hard or skipping the rests; the water dough tears, butter leaks out and you lose the flaky layers.
20 minStep 8: Press each roll flat on its spiral side, roll into a 10 cm circle, slightly thinner at the edges, and wrap it around a filled ball, gently pushing the pastry up and pinching it closed. Set seam side down on a lined tray.
15 minStep 9: Brush the tops with 1 egg yolk, leave for 5 minutes, then brush again and sprinkle a pinch of 1 tbsp black sesame seeds on each.
6 minStep 10: Bake at 350°F (325°F fan) for 25–30 minutes, until the tops are a deep, glossy golden brown and the sides are pale gold and flaky.
28 minStep 11: Cool on the tray for 15 minutes before moving; they are fragile while hot. Keep airtight at room temperature for 2 days or in the fridge for 5 days, and warm briefly in the oven to re-crisp.
15 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 265 kcal
- Protein
- 6 g
- Carbs
- 31 g
- Fat
- 13 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does dan huang su (egg yolk pastry) take?
- About 150 minutes in total: 110 minutes to prepare and 40 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 12 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- What can I use instead of plain flour?
- Self-raising flour, same amount (then leave out the baking powder).
- What can I use instead of unsalted butter?
- The same weight of ghee or coconut oil (for frying and most baking).
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