Mooncakes Recipe

Ingredients:
Crust:
4 cups of all purpose flour
1/4 cup dried milk powder
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
1&1/4 cups sugar
3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled to room temp
1&1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Filling:
1 12 Oz jar apricot preserves
1 cup chopped pitted dates
1 cup flaked sweetened coconut
3/4 cup raisins
Glaze:
1 large egg lightly beaten
2 tablespoons water

To make the crust, sift together the flour, milk powder, baking powder, and salt and set aside. Break the eggs into a large mixing bowl, add the sugar, and beat vigorously until the mixture 'ribbons' off the beaters, about five minutes. Add the melted butter, vanilla extract, and the sifted dry ingredients to the egg mixture, folding after each addition. Mix to a rough dough, turn out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead briefly to a smooth dough. Form the dough into a long, snakelilfe roll and cut into 20 pieces.
Mix together the ingredients for the filling and stir to combine evenly. Divide the filling in half. Cover one half with plastic wrap. With your hands, roll the other half into a long snake and cut it into 10 pieces. Uncover the first half and repeat.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease 2 baking sheets. Using your fingers press each dough piece into a 3" circle, making the edges thinner and the centre thicker. Spoon a portion of the filling into the centre, gather up the edges to enclose and pinch them to seal. Roll the cake into a ball and flatten it to a 3" round. Press into a mooncake mold or carve a criss cross design on top.
Arrange the cakes about and inch apart on the lightly buttered baking trays. brush them with the glaze. Bake for 30mins until golden brown. Cool on a rack and serve.

This recipe was taken from the book Moonbeams, Dumplings and Dragon Boats published by The Children's Museum in Boston.