Recreate the nostalgia of a traditional Taiwanese bakery with this Authentic Yolk Pastry, a festive masterpiece known for its mesmerizing flaky layers and the perfect marriage of sweet and savory. As a professional pastry chef, I’ve designed this recipe to help you achieve that professional-grade crispness using clarified butter—a secret to creating distinct, airy layers in the dough. Each pastry is a labor of love, encasing a rich, wine-scented salted egg yolk within smooth red bean paste. Whether you are celebrating the Mid-Autumn Festival abroad or simply craving a taste of home, this comprehensive guide provides the technical precision needed to bake these golden-brown gems in your own oven.
Yolk Pastry
Yolk Pastry (also known as Taiwanese Salted Egg Yolk Mooncake) is a rich and flaky pastry with a golden salted egg yolk nestled in sweet red bean or lotus seed paste. It’s a beloved treat during the Mid-Autumn Festival, a time when families gather to share food, stories, and mooncakes under the full moon.While traditionally gifted during holidays, yolk pastries are too delicious to enjoy only once a year. This homemade version lets you bring the flavor of Taiwan’s festive spirit into your kitchen, with melt-in-your-mouth layers and a perfect balance of sweet and savory.Whether you're celebrating or just craving something unique and comforting, this recipe is a beautiful blend of tradition and taste.
Equipment
- Oven
- Rolling Pin
- Pastry Brush
Ingredients
- 360 g red bean paste
- 12 salted egg yolks
- 1 shot Rice wine (Chinese cooking wine)
- Sesame (A little bit)
- Egg wash 1 egg yolk plus 1 teaspoon of water(add a little bit of soy sauce to add color)
Shortcrust pastry dough
- 120 g All purpose flour (Plain flour)
- 45 g Clarified Butter
- 20 g Sugar
- 60 c.c. Water
Puff pastry dough
- 120 g Cake flour (Low Protein Flour)
- 60 g Clarified Butter
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300°F(150°C). Use rice wine to spray or brush the salted egg yolks. Place them on a baking pan with aluminum foil, bake for 5~10 minutes, place aside.
- Divide the red bean paste into 12 balls, wrap the red bean paste on the outside of the egg yolks.
- Make the shortcrust pastry dough – Blend all the shortcrust pastry dough ingredients together. Knead them for 3~4 mins into a smooth dough and cover. Let it rise for 30~40 mins.
- Make the puff pastry dough – Mix all the puff pastry dough ingredients together. Knead them into 12 balls and cover with plastic wrap. (Note: DO NOT over mix this dough. And you can refrigerate it until you need to use them.)
- Place the puff pastry dough on the shortcrust pastry dough, roll flat. Wrap the puff pastry dough inside shortcrust pastry dough, knead them into small balls.
- Roll out the dough balls into elongated round pieces, set aside to rise for 10~15 mins.
- Repeat. roll out with dough again, set aside to rise for 10~15 mins.
- Roll the dough flat, put the red bean paste with salted egg yolk inside the dough. Wrap them into small balls and place them in the pan with aluminum foil. Brush the pastry with blended egg yolk, sprinkle some sesame seeds on top before the egg wash dries.
- Preheat the oven to 340°F(170°C), bake for 20 mins, remove.
- Finish and enjoy your time.
Cooking & Storage Tips
- For a deep, bakery-style golden color, add a tiny drop of soy sauce into your egg wash. Brush the first layer, let it dry slightly for a minute, then brush a second layer, then sprinkle the sesame seeds. This creates a thick, lustrous finish that won’t crack or peel easily.
- These pastries can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 3–4 days. They’re best enjoyed slightly warm or at room temperature. You can also gently reheat them in a toaster oven for a crispier bite.
Tools & equipment you may need
Oven
Pastry Brush
Last Updated on 2026-05-04